Hundreds of thousands of New York City residents have warned they will abandon the city if socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani wins Tuesday’s mayoral election, according to a poll revealing that over 2.1 million people could consider leaving. The survey, conducted by J.L. Partners, found nine percent of New Yorkers would “definitely” flee, equating to approximately 765,000 residents, while 25 percent would “consider” relocating, totaling more than 2.12 million individuals.
The potential exodus comes as Mamdani, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa compete in the final days of the race. Mamdani, who has advocated for defunding the police, raising taxes on “whiter neighborhoods,” and enforcing a $30 minimum wage, has drawn sharp criticism from opponents. Poll respondents described dire predictions for the city under his leadership, using terms such as “disaster,” “hell,” “chaos,” “destroyed,” and “sthole.”
The poll also highlighted that seven percent of high earners making $250,000 or more annually would “definitely” leave if Mamdani wins, raising concerns about a significant blow to New York City’s tax base. The top one percent of earners currently contribute nearly half of the city’s revenue, sparking fears of economic instability.
Supporters of Mamdani, an Ugandan immigrant, countered that his policies could bring “affordable,” “improved,” and “hopeful” changes, but the growing opposition underscores deepening divisions ahead of the election.
