Something isn’t quite clicking in New York City, and the numbers are starting to show that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist utopia isn’t earning the high praise of New Yorkers.
As NYC approaches 100 days of his administration, the glow looks a little dimmer. The question now isn’t whether he’s making moves, but whether New Yorkers are buying what he’s selling.
A new Marist College poll gives Mamdani a mere 48% approval rating after just three months in office. That might sound decent in today’s fractured political climate, but context matters. Why is this so bad? Well, at the same point in his tenure, Eric Adams sat comfortably at 61%. That’s a rather telling story that I have no doubt Mamdani’s allies would rather ignore.
Slightly less than half of New Yorkers say they approve of his performance so far. Meanwhile, 30% disapprove, and a striking 23% remain unsure. For a mayor who campaigned on bold ideas and sweeping change, such hesitation signals a problem. Big agendas require public confidence, and right now, Mamdani hasn’t locked it in.
What makes this even more interesting is that many voters think he’s doing exactly what he promised. About 60% say he is fulfilling campaign commitments. Normally, that would translate into strong approval numbers. Instead, he’s stuck below 50%. That disconnect should set off alarm bells inside City Hall.
That said, there are some positives for Mamdani, at least on the surface. A majority of New Yorkers say the city is heading in the right direction, and 52% believe he is changing things for the better. Around 61% view him as a good leader who understands problems and tries to unite the city. Nearly 75% think he works hard, and 58% trust him to make decisions in the city’s best interest.
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But again, those numbers don’t quite add up to enthusiasm. They feel more like cautious optimism, the kind voters give when they’re willing to wait but not ready to commit.
And there’s another glaring problem.
Mamdani’s relationship with Jewish voters remains deeply strained, and justifiably so. Only 38% view him favorably, while 55% hold an unfavorable opinion.
“Mamdani is going to have to pass the test of time with the Jewish community,” Marist polling director Lee Miringoff told the New York Post. “Jews are the voters least likely religious group to give Mamdani the benefit of the doubt.”
Again, this makes perfect sense. Mamdani’s past comments accusing Israel of genocide and his support for the BDS movement have stuck with voters. His associations with controversial activist figures haven’t helped either. Those positions may be increasingly mainstream in the Democratic Party, but in a city with a large and politically active Jewish population, they come with real consequences.
Frankly, it’s surprising that his support among Jewish voters is as high as 38%. Even so, they remain the only religious group clearly giving him bad marks overall.
Naturally, Mamdani is shrugging off the poll. "You know, I will always leave the grades to New Yorkers themselves." He added that his administration aimed to give residents "a glimpse as to what these next four years will look like."
The good news for him is that New Yorkers aren’t turning on him just yet. It’s clear that the difference between campaign promises and the reality of governing is huge, and he’s starting to figure that out.
