Jewish voters have decisively lined up behind former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, marking a dramatic late-game realignment in one of the city’s most influential voting blocs, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.

The survey found 60% of Jewish respondents said they would vote for Cuomo if the election were held today — a commanding lead over Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, who drew just 16%, and Republican Curtis Sliwa, who garnered 12%. Eight percent of respondents said they remained undecided.

The data reflects a sharp consolidation of Jewish support behind Cuomo following Mayor Eric Adams’s withdrawal from the race in September. Earlier polls from the New York Solidarity Network, AARP, and Marist showed Cuomo trailing or neck-and-neck with Mamdani among Jewish voters — registering just 21%, 38%, and 35%, respectively. Mamdani’s backing in those same polls ranged from 22% to 37%, underscoring a volatile electorate that has since shifted firmly toward the former governor.

Still, the Quinnipiac numbers suggest the support is driven more by pragmatism than enthusiasm. Half of Jewish respondents reported an unfavorable view of Cuomo, compared to 39% who viewed him favorably. Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and outspoken critic of Israel, fared far worse — with a staggering 75% unfavorable rating and only 15% favorable.

For Sliwa, who has long enjoyed name recognition through his Guardian Angels organization, opinions were more mixed: 31% favorable, 37% unfavorable, and nearly one-third saying they hadn’t heard enough about him to form an opinion.

The issue hierarchy was equally stark. Nearly half of Jewish voters (48%) ranked crime as the top issue guiding their vote — far outpacing affordable housing (16%), schools (8%), health care (7%), and inflation (4%).

While Mamdani still leads citywide with 43% support among likely voters, compared with 33% for Cuomo and 14% for Sliwa, the polling trendlines show momentum tilting toward Cuomo. Mamdani’s overall lead has narrowed by three points since Quinnipiac’s October 9 poll, and the share of undecided voters has doubled to 6%.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)