Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Friday sounded the alarm on how much “billionaire super PACs” are spending in New York’s Democratic mayoral primary.
The post appeared to refer to PACs supporting former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and that are funded in large part by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has contributed $8.3 million to the effort to elect Cuomo.
“Why are billionaire super PACs spending millions to defeat @ZohranKMamdani for Mayor of NYC?” he said in a post on X. “Not complicated. They’re afraid of a mayor who will take on powerful special interests and represent working families. They have the money. We have the people. Let’s get out and vote.”
Sanders has backed state assemblyman and fellow socialist Zohran Mamdani for mayor, as has “socialist superstar” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Sanders said in a statement that Mamdani was running an “inspirational” campaign and was a “visionary” leader.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg is leading the anti-Mamdani effort with loads of cash directed at electing Cuomo, whom he has endorsed.
“I care deeply about the future of our city, and since leaving office, it has been difficult to watch its struggles, especially since the pandemic,” Bloomberg said in a statement. “In sizing up the field in the race for mayor, there is one candidate whose management experience and government know-how stand above the others: Andrew Cuomo.”
Bloomberg’s differences with Mamdani, who has expressed anti-Israel views on top of his progressive plan to make child care and buses free in the city, likely motivated him to get involved. He also plans to fund his programs by raising taxes on rich New Yorkers and increasing the corporate tax rate.
“The billionaires are consolidating around Andrew Cuomo because they know he will preserve the broken status quo,” a Mamdani campaign spokesman said after the endorsement. “New Yorkers are rallying behind Zohran Mamdani because they are ready for a new generation of leadership that puts working people first.”
Mamdani has asked the city’s finance board to lift the spending limit for candidates in the race so his campaign can compete with the Cuomo-linked super PAC Fix the City, which has raised $24 million and spent $16 million.
“Today, I’m calling on the @NYCCFB to lift the spending cap on our campaign as Andrew Cuomo’s Republican billionaire SuperPAC—the largest in city history—tries to interfere in our democracy,” Mamdani said in a post on X. “We can’t let rich donors silence the voices of working people. We refuse to let this city’s future be determined by the whims of the wealthy.”
If the city’s spending cap is lifted, Mamdani will be able to spend around $700,000 more in the race as it currently stands. The cap is $7.9 million, Mamdani has spent $6.3 so far, and he has about $2 million in cash on hand.
Several billionaires, including Trump supporter Bill Ackman, have said they will leave the city if Mamdani is elected.
“If Mamdani becomes the mayor of New York,” Ackman told The Free Press, “you’re going to see the flight of businesses from New York. … It only takes a handful of successful people to leave to decimate the city’s tax base.”
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The extra spending could prove to be the difference in the race between Mamdani and Cuomo, who are considered to be the top competitors in the Democratic mayoral primary.
A recent Marist poll showed Cuomo winning in the seventh round of ranked choice voting, 55% to 45%. When including undecided voters, the first ranked choice margin goes to 43% for Cuomo and 35% for Mamdani.