Billionaire Ackman Pledges Millions to Back Centrist NYC Mayoral Challenger

Billionaire investor Bill Ackman has pledged to provide 'hundreds of millions of dollars' to support a centrist or moderate candidate who can challenge Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race, following Mamdani's upset primary victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Ackman, expressing grave concerns about Mamdani's progressive platform—including rent freezes, city-owned grocery stores, and defunding the police—warned these policies would make New York City more dangerous and economically unstable by driving away wealthy residents and eroding the tax base. Ackman is actively using social media to crowdsource potential challengers and has assured that significant financial backing and organizational support, potentially even from figures like Michael Bloomberg, would be available for a viable opponent. He also acknowledged that the challenger would likely need to run as a write-in candidate, but believes widespread voter concern could turn this into a rallying point. Ackman sees this as an opportunity to not only 'save' New York City but also offer a national platform for a moderate alternative to socialism. Despite the influx of billionaire money, it remains uncertain how New Yorkers will respond to such outside influence in the race.