Latest news with #SlingshotStrategies
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Meet the NYC Mayoral Hopeful Who Says He's Scandal-Free
Jim Walden, a long-shot independent candidate in New York City's mayoral race, said he's the best hope to defeat democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani because he's untainted by scandal. A litigator and former federal prosecutor, Walden is polling at just 1%, according to a recent Slingshot Strategies survey. But he insists he'll break through by positioning himself as the best alternative to Mamdani rivals weighed down by investigations, indictments and controversies. He's pledged to create a Department of Public Integrity empowered to investigate any city office, including the mayor's.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
New data reveals concerning trend in Tesla's customer base: 'Very dangerous for the brand'
A new poll revealed that Tesla is faltering among people across the political aisle. Unfortunately for the brand, it's not the first time it has faced this kind of issue, with owners reporting embarrassment and disapproval of CEO Elon Musk's behavior. Semafor published data from the Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report that demonstrated Tesla's brand perception has diminished among self-described Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. After Musk aligned himself with Republicans, some people thought Tesla's popularity among them would increase. However, the poll showed the opposite, with Republicans 11% less likely to buy a Tesla now, according to Semafor. The survey of 8,000 consumers suggested that Musk's foray into politics may have harmed the brand. "What he's done by wrapping Tesla into his political adventures, and, now, misadventures is very dangerous for the brand," Evan Roth Smith of Slingshot Strategies said, per Semafor. The shift in public opinion may not seem like a big deal, but it could have impacts across the industry. For example, Battery Technology reported that some executives believed Musk's political activities could have inspired Republicans to try EVs. However, that didn't pan out, as the EVIR data displayed. Battery Technology also suggested that people may be more concerned about buying a Tesla because they don't want to be associated with Musk or fear repercussions such as vandalism. Another potential issue is that Tesla's decline in public favor could create a gap in the EV market, as described by the Detroit Free Press. Considering Tesla became an industry leader and common household name, that's a significant hole for other brands to fill. Building trust in EVs takes time, which means consumers may not want to switch to another manufacturer. As a result, fewer people may be interested in EVs, which could lead to less production of these vehicles, as NPR reported. Additionally, fewer EVs on the road means that more cars powered by dirty energy sources are releasing pollutants into the air. Do you think Tesla can bounce back from its recent struggles? Yes It depends on Elon's actions I don't think it's struggling Nope Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. With all that said, the EV market can continue to gain customers' trust. For example, one of the biggest barriers to owning an EV is cost, whether you're interested in a Tesla or the Nissan Leaf. Making these cars more affordable will be especially crucial when the EV tax credit expires in September, as CNBC reported. It may also be beneficial if manufacturers make charging easier or the government expands public charging facilities. In the meantime, if you're ready to switch to a hybrid or EV, research manufacturers and models to find the right option for your needs. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
CBS News
14-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo staying in NYC mayoral race as an independent, sources say
Sources tell CBS News New York former Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to stay in the New York City mayoral race as an independent candidate. Cuomo is keeping a close eye on polling numbers, however, and has a proposal for his challengers. Cuomo to propose pledge for independent candidates, sources say The day after Cuomo lost the Democratic mayoral primary to 33-year-old Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani by 12 points, Cuomo told political reporter Marcia Kramer he was still weighing a run on the independent ticket. "I'm getting deluged with phone calls from people who are concerned the city is at a delicate tipping point," he said on June 25. Sunday night, Cuomo's team only said this in a statement: "They'll [sic] be an official announcement soon." But sources tell CBS News New York that announcement will say Cuomo will run as an independent, but with a pitch to other independent challengers: to agree to a pledge that whoever isn't leading in the polls by mid-September should drop out, including himself. "It's a reasonable compromise. He's trying to appear diplomatic. He does have the edge. Why? He raised an extraordinary amount of money for the June primary," political consultant Hank Sheinkopf said. "Didn't work out well for him, he was clubbed. So the question is what happens next?" Mamdani would win with more than one independent running, expert says The most recent Slingshot Strategies poll shows Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, leading a crowded general election field with 35%, followed by Cuomo in second with 25%, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa in third at 14% and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in fourth with 11%. Sheinkopf says if there is more than one independent on the ticket, the math favors Mamdani. "If everybody's in the race, one thing is sure - Mamdani wins, and the Democratic party as we know it will be run, in New York City at least, by a socialist," Sheinkopf said. Sunday night, Adams fired back in a statement, accusing Cuomo of wasting time and dividing voters. "The people spoke loudly - he lost. Yet he continues to put himself over the number one goal - beating Namdani and securing our city['s] future," he wrote. Meanwhile, Mamdani's team responded, saying, "While Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams are tripping over themselves to cut backroom deals with billionaires and Republicans, Zohran Mamdani is focused on making this city more affordable for New Yorkers. That's the choice this November." Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Andrew Cuomo Eric Adams Zohran Mamdani
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Polling favors Mamdani in race for Mayor as he picks up key teachers union endorsement
NEW YORK (PIX11) — The United Federation of Teachers has officially endorsed Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, adding to a growing wave of institutional support for the 33-year-old Assemblyman, who now leads the race for mayor, according to a new poll. The endorsement from the union, which represents more than 200,000 public education professionals, comes as Mamdani cements his status as the frontrunner. More Local News A Slingshot Strategies poll released Wednesday shows Mamdani with 35% support among likely voters, followed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has yet to commit to actively campaigning, at 25%. Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa received 14%, while incumbent Mayor Eric Adams trailed with just 11%. Mamdani has been a vocal critic of Mayor Adams' education policies, particularly the handling of class size reductions and mayoral control of schools. 'There's too much that I've been proud of in Albany,' Mamdani said Wednesday. 'We passed class size reduction. But we've seen flailing when it comes to New York City.' Mamdani said he supports reforming the governance of city schools, vaguely proposing a hybrid model that would give more power to community members while retaining some form of centralized oversight. The Adams campaign criticized the proposal as 'irresponsible and unserious.' Mamdani also faced questions Wednesday about a steady stream of resurfaced social media posts and writings, some of which his opponents have labeled controversial. 'What Eric Adams and others would seek to focus on are any number of issues that have nothing to do with affordability,' Mamdani said. 'We just came through a primary where we faced more than $30 million in attacks aimed at doing exactly that. New Yorkers supported our campaign by a margin of more than 12 points. They saw through it.' On the campaign trail Wednesday, Sliwa said personal attacks on Mamdani based on his past statements or background are not the best path. 'It's fair game, but it shouldn't be the priority,' Sliwa said. 'You go at him based on his policies. Leave his Muslim religion alone. Leave his culture alone. All you're doing is strengthening him, making him a victim or martyr, and more young people will rally around him.' Sliwa also ruled out dropping out of the race to unite opposition against Mamdani, instead suggesting that Mayor Adams should consider exiting the race, given his low poll numbers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
09-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Eric Adams' general election chances for NYC mayor are under water: poll
He's struggling to stay afloat. Mayor Eric Adams' support in the general election barely cracks into the double digits, according to a new poll released by political consulting firm Slingshot Strategies. The poll shows Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani ahead of the pack with 35% of the vote, followed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in second with 25%, Curtis Sliwa in third with 14% — and Adams with a paltry 11%. 3 New York City Mayor Eric Adams visits the now-closed Roosevelt Hotel on July 2, 2025. Stephen Yang While Slingshot founding partner Evan Roth Smith said that Mamdani's 35% is far from a majority and that there's room for an alternative, he noted that it would be difficult for either Cuomo or Adams – who have duked it out in recent weeks over who would better challenge Mamdani – to mount a competitive race in November. 'The problem is the ballot is set. And the strongest Mamdani alternative in this poll is Andrew Cuomo, who just lost to him decisively in the Democratic primary,' he said, referencing Mamdani upsetting the former governor by nearly 125,000 votes. 'And the Mamdani alternative that seems to have the most momentum as a fresh alternative is Eric Adams, who's polling barely in the double digits and seems to have lost credibility everywhere in the election.' While Cuomo and Adams have gone on the offensive in recent weeks, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa recently told The Post that moderates were pushing Mamdani supporters away rather than winning them over and that he hoped to tap into the anger and hope from Mamdani's campaign. Roth Smith highlighted that the group most skeptical of Mamdani are older white homeowners in the outerboroughs but that they wouldn't be guaranteed votes for either Adams or Cuomo in a general election. 3 Zohran Mamdani, Democratic candidate for mayor, leaves a press conference celebrating his primary victory with leaders and members of the city's labor unions on July 2, 2025 in New York. AFP via Getty Images 'You have a large number of largely white, largely outerborough homeowners who are not necessarily Democrats, who are skeptical of Mamdani. The problem is getting those voters together behind either Andrew Cuomo or Eric Adams seems to still be a pretty tall order and becomes even more difficult since they're both in the race,' he said. The poll found that Mamdani was lacking support from certain groups like male voters, non-college voters and those aged 45 to 64 – with the majority of these groups saying they would reject the 33-year-old Queens assemblyman at the ballot box. The new poll also found that Hizzoner's support has cratered among most demographic groups, even among once-reliable supporters, with only 16% of black respondents saying they would back the mayor in a general election. 3 New York City mayoral candidate and former New York governor Andrew Cuomo (C) speaks during an election party following the primaries at the Carpenters Union in New York City on June 24, 2025. AFP via Getty Images The study also found that out of all the demographic groups polled, Adams received his highest support from Republicans at 26%. 'There's simply not enough Republican support for someone who is a sitting Democratic mayor of New York,' Roth Smith said. 'So it's really, really difficult when someone is polling at 11% and the ballot isn't changing to see what the path to victory is.'
