Here's Who's Leading The Mayor's Race Among Manhattanites Over 50

Upper East Side NY

19 April, 2021

5:00 PM

Description

NEW YORK, NY — Andrew Yang is leading the mayoral field among New Yorkers over the age of 50, but the race is tighter in Manhattan than in other boroughs, according to a new poll by the AARP and Siena College. The poll, released Sunday, shows Yang leading the citywide Democratic primary field, with 26 percent ranking him as their top choice. City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams both trailed at 13 percent. In Manhattan, however, the race is neck-and-neck between Yang at 22 percent and Stringer — the former Manhattan Borough President — at 20 percent. Citi executive Ray McGuire ranked third at 12 percent. Meanwhile, 26 percent of Democrats have yet to decide on a candidate, including 17 percent of Manhattanites — the lowest undecided figure of the five boroughs. The poll was conducted between March 29 and April 8, surveying more than 800 New Yorkers age 50 and older. Voters in that age group are considered a crucial demographic, given their high turnout rates. "New Yorkers 50+ are the city's most reliable voters, accounting for three out of four ballots cast in the last open mayoral primary when only 20% of registered voters turned out," Beth Finkel, State Director of AARP New York, said in a news release. Yang, the nonprofit founder and former presidential candidate, has consistently led polling in recent weeks, even as rivals try to knock him over his previous disengagement from city politics and controversial proposals, like building a casino on Governors Island. This year's election will be New York's first to use ranked-choice voting, in which voters can rank up to five candidates by their order of preference. On the Republican side, Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa led with 40 percent, but 44 percent of Republicans surveyed had yet to pick a candidate.