With Zohran Mamdani surging in the polls, Andrew Cuomo’s closing message in the mayoral race is a scorching ad saying New York City could be next after Los Angeles for Donald Trump’s crackdown, New York Magazine reports.

From the ad: “Trump is at the city gates. We need someone who can slam them shut.”

G. Elliot Morris: “Yesterday, residents in six legislative districts across Oklahoma, Florida, and Massachusetts voted in special elections for state House and Senate members. Democrats beat expectations in five of the six.”

The Downballot: “Overall, in 29 special elections this year, Democratic candidates have run 16.4 points ahead of the 2024 presidential results on average.”

“Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill will face Republican former representative Jack Ciattarelli in the New Jersey governor’s race this fall in an early national bellwether for voters’ views in the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term,” the Washington Post reports.

Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) — who is 87 years old — told reporters she intends to seek reelection amid mounting questions about her ability to serve in Congress, Politico reports.

Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg is prepared to endorse his old nemesis, Andrew Cuomo, for mayor Tuesday — backing an ex-governor who is mounting a comeback bid in the June 24 Democratic primary, Politico reports.

“Tuesday’s primary in New Jersey is set to lay the groundwork for a high-stakes general election that will decide if Democrats can hold on in the typically blue-leaning state or if Republicans can continue to make gains,” Politico reports.

“The race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy is the most competitive primary in recent history, thanks in part to a new ballot design and a large pool of prominent candidates. As one of only two gubernatorial races this year — and the only one with a fierce primary — Tuesday’s results in New Jersey will be closely watched as both parties gear up for what’s expected to be a close race in November.”

“Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York City’s most prominent progressive leader, endorsed Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani for mayor on Thursday, throwing her clout behind an upstart socialist who has galvanized young voters,” the New York Times reports.

“The endorsement represented perhaps the most significant attempt yet to push fractured progressives toward a single strategy to block former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s path back to power.”

“Andrew Cuomo hasn’t won the New York City mayor’s race yet, but he’s already planning a national campaign to take on President Donald Trump — whose Department of Justice is reportedly investigating him,” Politico reports.

“He said he’s not thinking of a future role beyond being mayor, but sees an opportunity to make a national case for Democrats.”

CNN: Andrew Cuomo campaigns for New York’s redemption— and his own.

“New York City’s mayoral race is operating under the shadow of a politician from Queens: Donald Trump,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“With less than a month to go until the Democratic primary on June 24, the Republican president’s name is on the lips of its candidates as much as any of the issues affecting the city.”

“Trump’s looming threat to cut federal funding to cities that don’t cooperate with immigration authorities has left candidates vying to convince voters they are the person who can handle the president.”

A new Emerson College survey of New York City’s Democratic primary for mayor finds 35% of voters support Andrew Cuomo (D) on the first round of the ballot, 23% support Zohran Mamdani (D), 11% support Brad Lander (D), 9% Scott Stringer (D), 8% Adrienne Adams (D), and 5% Zellnor Myrie (D).

After ten rounds of rank choice simulation, Cuomo passes the 50% threshold with 54%, and Mamdani ends with 46%.

Said pollster Spencer Kimball: “With four weeks to go, the question is whether Cuomo can run out the clock, or if he needs to win over second-choice voters to hold off Mamdani’s momentum.”

“Elon Musk’s pledge to step back from campaign spending — if he means it — is rippling across the nation’s political landscape,” Politico reports.

“Some Republicans are worried that they might be losing their whale. Some Democrats fear they are losing their foil.”

“Corey O’Connor, the son of a popular former mayor, won the Democratic primary for Pittsburgh mayor on Tuesday night, signaling voters’ dissatisfaction with the city under its current progressive leader, Ed Gainey,” the New York Times reports.

“Mr. Gainey’s defeat is the latest in a string of losses in deep-blue cities, most notably in San Francisco and Oakland, that have raised the volume on questions about progressive officeholders, as their wing of Democratic Party seeks to wrest control from centrist leaders who have struggled to counter President Trump.”

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “It was the second time in two elections that Democrats ousted an incumbent mayor — something that hadn’t happened in Pittsburgh in nearly a century before Mr. Gainey accomplished the feat just four years ago when he defeated former Mayor Bill Peduto.”

“The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation of Andrew Cuomo, a front-runner in the New York City mayoral race, after Republicans accused him of lying to Congress about decisions he made during the coronavirus pandemic as governor,” the New York Times reports.

“The inquiry, begun about a month ago by the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, comes after senior Justice Department officials in February demanded the dismissal of an indictment of the city’s current mayor, Eric Adams, on corruption charges.”

“That puts the Trump administration in the unusual position of having ended a criminal case against the leader of the nation’s largest city and opened one into his chief rival in the span of a few months. Mr. Adams is running for re-election as an independent, and Mr. Cuomo is leading the Democratic primary field in the polls.”