What happened: After Adams dropped out of the mayor’s race, Cuomo declared that it was now “a totally different campaign.” But while the former governor has seen a boost in polling and in donations, there’s little to suggest so far that Adams’s exit has dramatically improved Cuomo’s standing, or prompted a significant messaging overhaul.
Why it matters: Cuomo has consistently polled a distant second to Mamdani. With Curtis Sliwa, the Republican, still in the race, he is limited in how much ground he can make up even with Adams out.
— Benjamin Oreskes and Jeffery C. Mays