“We cannot go back. Progress requires looking forward,” but the Working Families Party still picks Mamdani over poll-leading Adams anyway

A new poll commissioned by the Working Families Party reveals that Democratic primary voters would choose New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams over Andrew Cuomo in a general election. The survey, conducted by Upswing Research & Strategy, showed Adams leading with 41 percent compared to Cuomo’s 34 percent if she were to run on the Working Families Party ballot line.

Despite these favorable polling numbers for Adams, the Working Families Party announced Friday night that it would rank state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani as its first choice on a five-person slate to challenge former governor Cuomo in the primary. The party placed Adams third in their rankings, behind Mamdani and city Comptroller Brad Lander.

According to Politico, State Attorney General Letitia James, who is Adams’ most prominent endorser, responded to the poll results by stating, “We cannot go back. Progress requires looking forward.” James emphasized that in a one-to-one matchup against scandals and toxic masculinity, Adrienne Adams is the only choice. James has a notably contentious relationship with Cuomo, having played a crucial role in ending his gubernatorial career through a report that substantiated sexual harassment accusations against him.

Poll results show the WFP endorsement’s impact on voter behavior

The Working Families Party’s polling data indicated that their initial unranked endorsement of Adams, Lander, Mamdani, and Myrie in March did not significantly affect Cuomo’s primary lead. However, the survey suggested that approximately half of the 600 potential voters would likely rank the party’s first choice as their top pick once the party established its rankings.

Ana María Archila, co-director of the Working Families Party’s New York chapter, defended the decision to rank Mamdani first, citing his momentum, enthusiasm, and ability to communicate with voters across the city. The poll revealed that Mamdani had the highest favorability among the WFP’s slate of candidates.

The survey also demonstrated strong voter loyalty to both Adams and Mamdani, with at least 70 percent of their supporters indicating they would follow their preferred candidate’s recommendation to rank other candidates. This finding highlights the potential impact of ranked-choice voting in the upcoming primary.

The poll results showed particular strength for Working Families Party candidates among white, self-described liberals in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Interestingly, the party’s endorsement appeared to have the most significant potential impact among Black Democratic primary voters and those in the Bronx. Adams, who entered the race relatively late, recently received $2 million in public matching funds, which is expected to support her upcoming advertising campaign.