By Victoria Falk

According to recent polls, New Yorkers are concerned about rising crime rates in the city and want to know how the Mayoral candidates plan to address this issue if elected Mayor.

Polls also show that New Yorkers are concerned about economic recovery following this pandemic, education, and police reform. The Mayoral candidates continue to weigh in on these and other issues as the Mayoral race heats up and voters hope to select the best candidates.

Eric Adams, Art Chang, Shaun Donovan, Aaron Foldenauer, Kathryn Garcia, Raymond J. McGuire, Dianne Morales, Paperboy Love Prince, Scott Stringer, Joycelyn Taylor, Maya Wiley, Isaac Wright Jr., and Andrew Yang are amongst the long list of Democratic candidates who hope to be selected as the next Mayor of New York City. According to a new poll sponsored by WNBC, Telemundo 47, and Politico, as of press time, 24% of Democratic voters favor Eric Adams as their first choice for Mayor, 17% of Democratic voters favor Kathryn Garcia as their first choice for Mayor, 15% of Democratic voters favor Maya Wiley as their first choice for Mayor, 13% of Democratic voters favor Andrew Yang as their first choice for Mayor, 7% of Democratic voters favor Scott Stringer as their first choice for Mayor, and Dianne Morales, Raymond McGuire, and Shaun Donovan are tied at 3% of Democratic voters who prefer them as the first choice for Mayor. In contrast, the other remaining Democratic candidates didn’t make the poll as they did not have any voters to select them as a first-choice candidate. At the same time, there is a possibility that these numbers may change since the poll also shows many undecided Democrats.

The Republican race for Mayor is much less crowded, with only two Republican candidates vying to be the next Mayor of New York City. Fernando Mateo and Curtis Sliwa are competing for the Republican ticket.

The race between the two men heats up, although they both realize the challenges they face as New York has a more significant number of enrolled Democratic voters.

Republican Candidates

Fernando Mateo – Fernando Mateo is a businessman who is most known for his role as President of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers and as a Spokesperson for the United Bodegas of America. “Mateo has called himself a blue-collar urban Republican that wants the best for the city of New York.” Fernando Mateo’s campaign focuses on public safety and business regulation reform to bring about economic recovery. Mateo believes New York City needs more police officers, and his top priority would be hiring thousands more police officers if he were to become Mayor.

Curtis Sliwa – Sliwa is most known as a vigilante and founder of The Guardian Angels. He hopes New Yorkers remember his efforts to prevent crime as a Guardian Angel and see him as a candidate focused on public safety. During public interviews, Sliwa described himself as “someone who knows how to do more with less” and feels this ability will help him lead the revitalization of New York city’s economy.

Leading Democratic Candidates

Eric Adams – Current Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams made it known years ago that he wanted to become Mayor of New York. He has over 35 years of experience in public service, including his two terms as Brooklyn Borough President, the years he served as New York State Senator, and his time as a former New York City police officer. Once a victim of police brutality himself, Eric Adams pushed forward to become a high-ranking police officer. He believes his experience as an officer makes him most knowledgeable about how best to approach police reform. Adams’ main campaign issues have been public safety, public health, and revitalizing the economy. Regarding immigration, Eric Adams said he would “… definitely support voting rights for Green Card Holders in municipal elections.” “My administration will lift up immigrants as high as Lady Liberty lifts her torch in our harbor, as a beacon of hope for all who come to our shores…We will ensure that together, “WeRise,” stated Eric Adams.

Kathryn Garcia – Former Commissioner of the New York City Sanitation Department, Kathryn Garcia has experience managing budgets and large staff numbers. She helped with crisis management during the city’s Hurricane Sandy crisis, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, she created a program that delivered hundreds of meals to needy families. Garcia hopes her experience dealing with problems will help New York voters see her as the best candidate to lead the city towards economic recovery. Garcia is also fighting for climate change and affordable housing. During an exclusive interview with People, Power, and Politics Radio Show, Ms. Garcia said she would focus on “bringing our economy back and making sure we do it safely,…make sure the vaccines are getting to all New Yorkers,…and support small businesses.” Regarding immigration, Kathryn Garcia told People, Power, and Politics Radio Show that “not just on a federal level, but on a city level, she would make sure there is access to healthcare, jobs, and education, for all immigrants.”

Maya Wiley – Maya Wiley, civil rights attorney and former Advisor to outgoing New York City Mayor, Bill De Blasio, believes her experience working with Mayor De Blasio gives her an advantage over her opponents. During an exclusive interview with Caribbean American Weekly, Maya Wiley stated, “I’m running for Mayor because it’s part of my mission. It is time, at this moment, to have a Black woman, who is a mother, who is a civil rights lawyer, but also knows how government works, is I think, what we need in this city, and that’s what makes me different from all of the other candidates.” During the campaign trail, Wiley has focused on creating more jobs for the city, providing financial assistance to caretakers, and improving public safety and police accountability. Wiley stated during a candid conversation with Caribbean American Weekly that if she were the next Mayor of New York City, she would make sure “…immigrants can vote in municipal elections,…would create 100,000 new jobs and more affordable housing, and …improve the quality of schools in Black and Brown neighborhoods.”

Early Voting
In New York City, early voting began on June 12, 2021, and continues until June 20, 2021. Primary elections occur on June 22, 2021, with the general election taking place on November 2, 2021. However, polls show that many New Yorkers remain undecided about selecting as their first choice for Mayor. While many New Yorkers are still confused about how to vote since this is the first time New Yorkers will experience the ranked-choice voting system as they select the next Mayor of New York City. Nevertheless, this has been a crowded race to see who will replace term-limited New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio when he vacates the position.

Whether you vote early, via mail-in vote, or at a voting site, “…you better vote because our city is in a crisis and we need great leadership to help us through the next four years,” stated Legal Expert and Political Analyst, Brian Figeroux, during a commentary with People, Power, and Politics Radio Show. For more information on the candidates and the 2021 Mayoral race, visit www.pppradio.nyc to hear full interviews with a few leading candidates.

  NYC Mayoral Race