New York City's mayoral election has exposed a growing rift among Black voters as some see Democratic candidate Andrew Cuomo as their best bet against the more progressive Zohran Mamdani.
In contrast to traditional expectations, Mamdani - a state assemblymember from Queens, emerged victorious in the Democratic primary with a majority of his support coming from gentrified neighborhoods where liberal white voters have displaced older Black residents. His rival Cuomo ran predominantly among Black districts like Southeast Queens and parts of Central Brooklyn.
The issue lies not only in Mamdani's ties to affluent areas but also his policies, which some perceive as threatening the economic interests of lower-income residents. A key point of contention revolves around affordable housing. While Mamdani promised to make the city more affordable, many are worried that he would accelerate gentrification by supporting higher-priced developments.
Renee Collymore, a Black moderate Democrat from Clinton Hill, has been actively involved in local politics for years but now finds herself at odds with Mamdani over his progressive stance. She believes he is essentially the candidate of gentrifiers and worries that his policies will drive out long-time residents.
Mamdani's pledge to increase affordable housing might seem appealing, but Collymore suspects it could further entrench economic disparities in Black neighborhoods. The growing divide has prompted some Black voters to rethink their allegiance to progressive candidates.
Political experts point out a pattern of pitting racial groups against one another as Cuomo employs a familiar strategy by emphasizing his support among Black and Latino communities while framing Mamdani as the representative of gentrifiers. They note that there is considerable diversity within Black voters, with many being of Afro-Caribbean descent rather than African American.
Despite this divide, some Black voters, including 83-year-old Ernest Skinner, have rallied behind Mamdani, citing his energy and vision. For others, such as Brandon Lloyd Adams, a small business owner in East Harlem, Mamdani's policies pose an existential threat to their livelihoods.
Ultimately, the mayoral election has highlighted a new calculus among Black voters in New York City, one that is grappling with issues of gentrification, economic inequality, and social justice.
In contrast to traditional expectations, Mamdani - a state assemblymember from Queens, emerged victorious in the Democratic primary with a majority of his support coming from gentrified neighborhoods where liberal white voters have displaced older Black residents. His rival Cuomo ran predominantly among Black districts like Southeast Queens and parts of Central Brooklyn.
The issue lies not only in Mamdani's ties to affluent areas but also his policies, which some perceive as threatening the economic interests of lower-income residents. A key point of contention revolves around affordable housing. While Mamdani promised to make the city more affordable, many are worried that he would accelerate gentrification by supporting higher-priced developments.
Renee Collymore, a Black moderate Democrat from Clinton Hill, has been actively involved in local politics for years but now finds herself at odds with Mamdani over his progressive stance. She believes he is essentially the candidate of gentrifiers and worries that his policies will drive out long-time residents.
Mamdani's pledge to increase affordable housing might seem appealing, but Collymore suspects it could further entrench economic disparities in Black neighborhoods. The growing divide has prompted some Black voters to rethink their allegiance to progressive candidates.
Political experts point out a pattern of pitting racial groups against one another as Cuomo employs a familiar strategy by emphasizing his support among Black and Latino communities while framing Mamdani as the representative of gentrifiers. They note that there is considerable diversity within Black voters, with many being of Afro-Caribbean descent rather than African American.
Despite this divide, some Black voters, including 83-year-old Ernest Skinner, have rallied behind Mamdani, citing his energy and vision. For others, such as Brandon Lloyd Adams, a small business owner in East Harlem, Mamdani's policies pose an existential threat to their livelihoods.
Ultimately, the mayoral election has highlighted a new calculus among Black voters in New York City, one that is grappling with issues of gentrification, economic inequality, and social justice.
So like, I'm reading this and I'm thinking, Black voters in NYC are super divided on Mamdani and Cuomo, right? 
And the stats are wild - 62% of Mamdani's support comes from gentrified neighborhoods, but only 35% of Cuomo's support does 
. Meanwhile, Cuomo is crushing it among Black districts like Southeast Queens with a whopping 55% of the vote 
.
. They're worried that he'll just be another tool for gentrification to drive out long-time residents. And I get it, because those neighborhoods have been historically marginalized and disenfranchised 
.
. That's a huge gap! And then you've got the economy factor at play - some people are worried that Mamdani's policies will actually hurt small businesses like Brandon Lloyd Adams' 
.
. The mayoral election has opened up a whole new conversation about gentrification, economic inequality, and social justice 
.
. I MEAN, CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG AND SUPPORT CANDIDATES WHO ARE TRYING TO HELP THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE?!
it's also interesting how experts say the real issue is pitting racial groups against each other - like, can't we just focus on what's best for the city and its residents? 
. IT'S LIKE, WHAT REALLY MATTERS HERE? I THINK THE ISSUE IS THAT SOME BLACK VOTERS ARE GETTING Tired OF PROGRESSIVES JUST TALKING ABOUT GENTRIFICATION AND NOT REALLY DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT 
. THEY WANT TO SEE SOME ACTION ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC INEQUALITY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ALL ABOUT FINDING THAT BALANCE BETWEEN PROGRESS AND PROTECTING THE INTERESTS OF LONG-TIME RESIDENTS 
I mean I know we're trying to be progressive and all but at the same time Mamdani's policies are kinda scaring me 
And I feel like Cuomo is playing dirty by pitting us against each other 
He's like a breath of fresh air after years of politicians being, you know, super boring 
What do u guys think tho? Should we be okay with some gentrification to make NYC more "affordable" or is that just code for "more white people moving in"? 
This whole thing is just super crazy... I mean, who would've thought that a candidate from Queens would take the primary? It's like, people were expecting Cuomo to win for sure, but Mamdani's got some real momentum going on. And yeah, it's interesting how his policies are being panned by some voters in Black communities - affordable housing is a big deal, but I can see why some folks would be worried that it'll just push out more long-time residents and make things worse for the ones who are already struggling. On the other hand, there are people like Ernest Skinner who are all about Mamdani's energy and vision... it shows you that there's a lot of diversity in Black voters, with some folks being from different islands or backgrounds altogether 
.
. It's like, if you're really gonna promise affordable housing, how can you justify support for developments that just push out old-timers? 
And what's up with Cuomo playin' the racial card and tryin' to divide black voters against mamdani? 
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. That's not how we should be approaching politics - we need to find common ground and work together towards a better future for all New Yorkers.
.
Mamdani's got his supporters who are all about the progressive vibes 
but then you've got people like Collymore who are worried he's gonna push out the old guard 
. It's like, what's good for one ain't always good for another