The far-left wing of the city’s Democratic Party is plotting against mayoral front-runner Andrew Cuomo by helping socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani win over a larger share of minority voters, The Post has learned.
Leaders of the Democratic Socialists of America still believe they see a path to victory for Mamdani in the June 24 primary by targeting “older, non-white, outer borough working class voters,” they told members at a recent gathering of the local DSA chapter, according to sources with knowledge of the meeting.
The sources said the group also plans to focus on older liberals who are scared of President Trump.
Mamdani, 33, is running second to Cuomo, 67, in recent polling.
The DSA leaders attacked the “nastiest parts of the Democratic Party” during the meeting, singling out AIPAC (American Israel Affairs Public Affairs Committee), Solidarity PAC and billionaires, according to sources.
They also rapped the establishment “shameless machine Dems” — who pushed the more moderate Cuomo to resign as governor in 2021 over sexual misconduct accusations he denies — but now back him because they think his win is “inevitable” and “their donors fear Zohran.”
The strategy is already playing out.
Days after the DSA meeting, the state Assemblyman from Astoria stood by former “Squad” Rep. Jamaal Bowman in Co-op City, where he accepted the controversial ex-lawmaker’s endorsement hoping to court his former constituents in the minority-heavy section of the Bronx.
Bronx state Sen. Gustavo Rivera, a progressive, is also one of the Latino politicians backing Mamdani.
On Monday, Mamdani posted a video on social media urging supporters to donate to City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’ mayoral campaign. The last minute pitch could help Adams, no relation to Mayor Eric Adams, qualify for public matching funds.
Adrienne Adams, who is black, has moved up in the polls despite meager resources. Fourteen percent of black voters back her candidacy in the latest Marist poll — second to the 50% backing Cuomo received — despite only entering the race in March.
Mamdani hasn’t surpassed the teens in most polls.
His campaign also announced Monday that it has knocked on more than 500,000 doors across the five boroughs and boasts more than 20,000 volunteers committed to knocking on more than 1 million homes by Election Day.
But the Cuomo camp scoffed at the DSA strategy.
“That’s the problem, to them its ‘which cynical strategy do we need to fool people into embracing our brand of silver spoon socialism?’” said Cuomo campaign spokesman Rich Azzopardi.
“To us it’s a multi decade relationship where Andrew Cuomo worked hard, delivered, and improved their lives.”
Democratic campaign strategist Basil Smikle said it will be a tall order to pull black and Latino voters — especially older voters — away from Cuomo.
The ex-governor has been meeting with black and Latino leaders and visiting churches over the last two years, wooing support while embarking on his rehabilitation tour.
“There are a lot of older voters who saw his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Smikle, a former executive director of the state Democratic Party, added. “He was America’s governor the way Rudy Giuliani was America’s mayor during 9/11.”
Rep. Ritchie Torres, a Cuomo backer, said: The Bronx is Cuomo country.
“Andrew Cuomo is going to be the next Mayor of New York City. He’s going to win the Bronx by an overwhelming margin,” Torres, a Democrat, predicted. “It won’t even be close.”
