With just 26 days left until the New York City mayoral election, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s campaign is feeling confident after a new poll and an influx of donations. 

A Quinnipiac poll released Thursday has Cuomo gaining ground on Democratic frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, who still retained a double-digit lead over Cuomo.

“The race is shifting decisively” 

The City Campaign Finance Board also awarded $2,329,463 in public matching funds to the Cuomo campaign Thursday, reflecting a surge in public donations to the independent candidate since Mayor Eric Adams suspended his reelection bid. 

In the poll, Mamdani held 46% compared to Cuomo’s 33%. But on Sept. 10, when Adams was still in the race, Quinnipiac polling had Mamdani at 45% and Cuomo at 23%. 

“The race is shifting decisively,” a Cuomo campaign spokesperson said responding to the poll. “The path is now clear: This is a two-person race between Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani.” 

Mamdani’s campaign said in response they’re not focused on Cuomo’s donors, but the 80,000 volunteers working for their campaign. 

Mamdani says he’s open to keeping Tisch as NYPD commissioner

Mamdani, meanwhile, kicked off a mayoral candidate series at the Association for a Better New York on Thursday, laying out a plan to capitalize on tourism during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the finals being played at MetLife Stadium in July. 

“The forecast for international tourists to this city for this year, having dropped 17%, resulting in a $4 billion decrease compared to 2024,” the Queens assemblyman said. “And the World Cup offers us the perfect chance to rewrite this narrative.” 

Mamdani also spoke about NYPD enforcement and retention issues, saying at one point that he is open to retaining Commissioner Jessica Tisch as the city’s top cop should he become mayor. 

Republican challenger Curtis Sliwa also mentioned Tisch at a news conference on subway crime and calling for a stepped-up NYPD presence on trains. 

“No, it is not an anomaly, Jessica Tisch. It is increasingly happening because we don’t have enough police,” Sliwa said.

In response to the polls,  Sliwa’s campaign said the only poll that matters is on Election Day.