NYC Mayoral Candidates and the Latino Vote: Polls, Housing, and Forum No-Shows

Latino Vote in NYC Mayoral Race

• 🗳️ With election day less than a month away, candidates are focusing on winning the Latino vote, which is projected to be nearly 20% of eligible voters citywide.
• 🎯 A recent poll by the Hispanic Federation surveyed 600 Latino voters, indicating Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani leads with 48% of their support.

Key Issues for Latino Business Owners

• 📈 Latino business owners and advocates gathered at a forum organized by Agenda Latina NYC to discuss priorities for the next mayor.
• 💰 Anna Prince, a restaurant owner, highlighted the need for the next mayor to help small business owners keep costs low, particularly concerning tariffs.
• 🏠 A significant concern for 90% of Latino voters is the affordable housing crisis, with over 55% experiencing housing insecurity.

Candidate Responses on Housing

• 💬 Zohran Mamdani stated his focus is on delivering a rent freeze and building sufficient housing to address the needs of over a million Latinos.
• 🏗️ Former Governor Andrew Cuomo pledged to launch an ambitious housing plan, aiming for 50,000 new units annually to support Latino families.
• 🔑 Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa proposed getting currently frozen apartments back into the marketplace as an initial step to address housing concerns.

Candidate Attendance at Forum

• ❓ A forum for Latino business owners was held, but neither Zohran Mamdani nor Andrew Cuomo attended, despite being invited.
• 🗣️ Curtis Sliwa stated he did not receive an invitation and would have attended if he had.
• ⚠️ The absence of candidates was noted as concerning by Frank Garcia of the National Association of Latino State Chambers, who hopes for future participation.