Which Democrats Are Running for New York City Mayor in 2025? Here's the Tl;dr.
On June 24, New York City voters will flock to the polls for the 2025 Mayoral Primary Election. And while the outcome of the race remains uncertain, one thing is clear—there's no shortage of candidates vying for New Yorkers’ votes.
Sitting New York City Mayor Eric Adams is staring down a tough path to re-election after facing corruption charges that tanked his lukewarm approval ratings late last year.
And while the embattled politician is running for re-election as an independent, his decision to ditch New York's Democratic Party suggests his swan song is less a possibility than an eventuality.
With Mayor Adams likely on the way out, a dozen Democratic contenders have lined up to become Gotham's next mayor. The crowded candidate pool includes former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, lefty-left TikTok sensation Zohran Mamdani, YIMBY poster-boy Zellnor Myrie and Adams archrival Brad Lander.
According to one new poll, Cuomo has a nearly 2-to-1 lead over his nearest rival, Zohran Mamdani, leading his opponent by 22 points. By the final round of the pollster's ranked-choice voting simulation, Cuomo had notched 53% of the vote, while Mamdani and Comptroller Brad Lander received 29% and 18%, respectively.
How New Yorkers ultimately cast their ballots, however, is anybody's guess.
But, one thing is certain: Whoever wins the primary election will represent the Democratic Party in the 2025 Mayoral Election on November 5—a race that Democrats are favored to win, as they outnumber Republicans roughly 6 to 1.
Curious about which Democrats will be on the primary ballot on June 24? We've got you covered:
Andrew Cuomo
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has emerged as the most dominant figure in the 2025 mayoral race, a sign that legions of COVID-era Cuomo-sexuals (yes, it's a thing—look it up at your own risk) never truly abandoned their affections for the straight-shooting New York native.
Jumping into the fray in late March, the ex-governor, 67, has successfully reshaped what was once a stagnant campaign, earning heaps of buzz from local and national media. It all bodes well for the former governor, who is gunning for a political comeback just four years after he resigned from office as sexual harassment allegations against him swirled.
The scion of one of New York's most prominent political families has centered his campaign on hiring more police officers, strengthening public safety in the city's subway system and building more affordable housing.
He has also made his past managerial experience a focal point of his campaign—a record his opponents have challenged aggressively.
Adrienne Adams
New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams is running for mayor with considerable political experience, having served in the city’s main law-making body since 2017.
Since launching her campaign in March, Adams, 64, has earned high-profile endorsements from New York State Attorney General Leticia James and a spate of unions.
Her platform centers on addressing the cost-of-living crisis, supporting non-profit organizations and public libraries, and expanding mental health and child care services throughout the five boroughs.
“New Yorkers can’t afford to live here, City Hall is in chaos, and Donald Trump is corrupting our city’s independence. It’s time to stand up,” Adams said in a statement in March.
Zohran Mamdani
State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, 33, is a media-savvy millennial who has emerged as a leading figure in the crowded Democratic primary race.
Hoping to mobilize young left voters, Mahmdani has leveraged his massive social media — his TikTok account alone has nearly 80,000 followers and 1.6 million likes— to spread his socialist message.
And by the looks of it, that strategy is working: “Idc if he's a mayoral candidate[,] that's babygirl,” one young fan wrote on TikTok, referring to Mamdani.
The leftist's platform champions fare-free bus service and no-cost childcare, in addition to freezing rents for tenants of stabilized housing units across the city. He also aims to raise the city’s minimum wage to $30 by 2030.
Mamdani is the second highest-ranked mayoral aspirant in the polls, after Andrew Cuomo.
Brad Ladner
New York City Comptroller Brand Lander is a well-known Democrat in New York City.
Lander, 56, has attracted public recognition for denouncing several of Mayor Eric Adams’ policy pushes, including his handling of migrants.
His platform centers on passing police reform and addressing issues arising from the city’s acceptance of migrants over the past few years. Lander also aims to address the affordable housing crisis by greenlighting the construction of more apartments throughout the city.
Paperboy Prince
Paperboy Prince may not be a polling leader, but the Brooklyn-based creative is bringing their unique brand of politics to the mayoral race.
The 30-something Maryland native and owner of Bushwick's Love Gallery, is running on their so-called “Utopia Plan.” (That also happens to be the title of their latest track released this month on Spotify.)
Prince's proposal includes turning the police into a love team and converting public housing into mansions. Under the plan, residents would also receive universal basic income—a socialist policy famously championed by Andrew Yang.
Those plans may sound out of the ordinary, but, well, nothing about Prince is ordinary.
The political hopeful has run for office before, making an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 2021 and for Congress in 2020. Third times the charm?
Scott Stringer
Former New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer boasts more than three decades of experience in local politics, including a 13-year tenure as a state assemblyman and a stint as the Manhattan Borough President.
Stringer, 65, is running on the promise to make the city safer and more affordable.
His platform counts hiring 3,000 more police officers in the boroughs and augmenting the NYPD’s presence throughout the subway system among its goals. Stringer has also promised to address New York’s affordable housing crisis by building more low-income units for families throughout the city.
Zellnor Myrie
New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie has represented parts of Brooklyn since 2019.
The 38-year-old's platform aims to make New York City a “more livable, more affordable, better managed city.”
Much like many of his political challengers, Myrie has promised voters to mitigate the city’s affordable housing crisis. His plan calls for building and preserving one million homes across the five boroughs.
Another focus of his campaign is reforming the city’s electoral processes—a goal that harkens back to his efforts in the State Senate to pass legislation like the John R. Lewis New York Voting Rights Act, which blocks voter suppression and discrimination tactics.
Whitney Tilson
Whitney Tilson, 58, is “a businessperson not a career politician,” as per his own words.
A former hedge fund manager and Democratic political activist, he is running on the promises to halve violent crime throughout the city, trim local government spending and improve the city’s public schools.
Like many of his peers, he has also pledged to bring down the cost of living across the boroughs.
Jessica Ramos
New York State Senator Jessica Ramos, who represents the Jackson Heights and Elmhurst area in Queens, is another politician making a bid for the city's top government office.
Ramos, 40, has expressed strong support for unions in the New York State Senate, and she formed part of a progressive wave of lawmakers that came to power across the state in 2018.
Her platform prioritizes housing issues, centering initiatives that aim to grow home ownership rates throughout the city, in addition to supporting public housing improvements. She is also running on the promise to create more union jobs.
Michael Blake
Former Bronx Assemblyman Michael Blake has built a strong public profile through championing issues of social justice and economic equity.
The 42-year-old champions boosting wages for working-class workers and expanding free childcare throughout the city, according to his platform. He also supports housing equality initiatives, with a focus on addressing policy issues that affect people of color.
Selma Batholomew
Selma Batholomew is one of the lesser known mayoral contenders.
She has a background in education and is centering quality of life issues in her campaign, but her public profile is modest.
Bartholomew hasn’t attended any of the big-name mayoral forums. She holds just $972 in her campaign account, according to the latest campaign finance report.