With 100 days on the job, New Yorkers have gotten a taste of what Zohran Mamdani’s time as New York City mayor will be like. So what do they think?
That depends on who’s asked.
Just over three full months on the job is the time when new mayors face their first job approval ratings. In a new Marist poll, 48% of New Yorkers approve of the job Mamdani has done so far. That’s compared to 30% who disapprove, and another 23% who said they were unsure, according to the poll.
“When he was running for office, his image was very strong. Governing is somewhat different, and in terms of governing now as mayor for 100 days, the jury is still out, with a large number of people undecided and staying on the fence and those are the folks he has to win over,” said Marist Prof. Lee Miringoff.
More than half (55%) responded to the poll saying they have a favorable view of the new mayor, while 75% said they believe Mamdani is working hard.
Additionally, at least 60% of NYC residents see Mamdani as:
- A good leader
- Fulfilling campaign promises
- Working to represent all New Yorkers
- Understanding the city’s problems
- Doing more to unite the city than divide it
Despite all that good news for the mayor, less than half of New Yorkers approve his job performance thus far. But if the majority holds all the aforementioned beliefs, why is his overall approval rating floundering at less than half?
It may have something to do with not being able to deliver on some campaign promises so far. One man who spoke to NBC New York about the polling said he viewed Mamdani’s election tactics as “manipulative, considering he never really had the ability to do what he was promising.”
With the state budget unresolved, and Mamdani so far unable to deliver his tax on the rich, many of his bigger campaign promises like free buses and affordable housing remain up in the air too.
Mamdani’s approval rating is lower than that of Eric Adams (61%) and Bill de Blasio (49%) at the same time during their administrations.
One group still divided over Mamdani was Jewish voters, some of whom called out his response to the rise in antisemitism in the five boroughs. The poll found 38% of Jewish voters who responded an approve Mamdani, while nearly half (49%) disapprove.
“There’s a tremendous amount of antisemitism in New York and I don’t think our mayor is addressing it properly,” said Robin Fleischner, of the Upper West Side.
Some voters said they need at least another 100 days in order to make a guess.
