(New York) The return of an old fallen baron or a young wolf on the left? New York Democrats vote in the heat Tuesday to designate their candidate for the town hall of the largest American city, with the mission of resisting Trump and fighting expensive life.
“The first issue is that New York is affordable,” sums up, just after slipping his bulletin in a polling station in Brooklyn, Eamon Harkin, a 48 -year -old DJ.
“The city has become very expensive. Many popular and medium classes can no longer afford to live here, and this contributes to a homeless and mental health crisis. For me, this is the number one problem, ”he adds, walking, sweating under his tank top, in a stifling heat of the early morning.
Among a dozen candidates, polls predict a duel between two personalities with contrasting stories, styles and projects, like the Fractures of the Democratic Party, always in shock from the return of Donald Trump to the White House.
The winner will go to the head position during the town hall election, scheduled for November.
“Referendum”
On the one hand, Andrew Cuomo, a 67 -year -old former local baron, tried a return, four years after his resignation of the post of New York State Governor under the accusations, which he refutes, of sexual harassment of more than a dozen women.
Photo Vincent Alban, Reuters archives
Andrew Cuomo
On the other, Zohran Mamdani, 33, born in Uganda with Indian origins and candidate of the “socialist” wing of the party, supported by left figures like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The elected representative of the popular and mixed district of Queens, which claims to be “progressive and Muslim”, led a viral campaign on social networks and aroused the enthusiasm of an army of young volunteers on the ground to amplify its promises against expensive life, including the free buses, crèches and the frost of regulated rents, while the rental of a three -room Manhattan.
Photo Vincent Alban, Reuters archives
Zohran Mamdani
Nicholas Zantal, 31-year-old advertising, sees this primary as “a referendum for the Democratic Party”: “Either we lean for a centrist candidate (Andrew Cuomo), which belongs to a different generation, or for a younger, ambitious and idealistic party,” he explains after having voted.
For Sheryl Stein, a 50 -year -old who works in marketing and registered democratic to vote Cuomo, the project of Zohran Mamdani is “too extreme”. “I like youth, but seeing someone 33 years old, without experience, leading the largest city in this country and one of the largest in the world is quite frightening,” she explains.
Megapol of 8.5 million inhabitants, New York is home to one of the largest concentrations of millionaires in the world, but approximately a quarter of its population lives in poverty, according to a recent report by the Robin Hood association in partnership with Columbia University.
“Opposing Trump”
The campaign took place in the shade of Donald Trump, his policies of massive budget cuts and repression against migrants.
“We need someone who can oppose Trump, even if it should not be the mayor’s work,” says Fanette, a 73 -year -old Brooklyn resident, who does not want to give her surname.
One of the candidates, Brad Lander, was handcuffed last week in court by the immigration police (ICE), while he was trying to defend migrants threatened with expulsion.
In such a context, Andrew Cuomo, dubbed by Bill Clinton, former mayor Michael Bloomberg and tenors Democrats, plays the card of notoriety and experience by presenting himself as the only one capable of standing up to the president.
The current Democrat mayor, Eric Adams, has given up on the primary. He plans to present himself as an independent candidate, but suffers from a calamitous image, accused of compromising himself with the Trump administration in exchange for the burial of prosecution for corruption.
The complex voting system, where voters are called upon to classify five candidates in order preferably, makes any prognosis and the counting could take several days.
