New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani speaks to volunteers at a canvass launch in Brooklyn on Sept. 28, 2025. (Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Sliwa only garnered support from 11% of New York City registered voters in the latest Fox News survey. Among registered voters, Mamdani earned 45% support, while Cuomo picked up 27%, Sliwa maintained 11% and Mayor Eric Adams had 8%.
Adams, who like Cuomo was running as an independent, dropped out of the race last week, heating up an already contentious mayoral election.
"Why take away from our kids the very opportunities that helped shape your own future?" Adams asked in response to Mamdani's plan to slash the gifted program.
NEW POLLS REVEAL MAMDANI HAS COMMANDING LEAD OVER RIVALS WEEKS FROM ELECTION DAY
Adams has expanded the elementary Gifted & Talented program during his tenure, a reversal of de Blasio's plan to phase out the program and stop testing 4-year-olds.
"The era of judging 4-year-olds based on a single test is over," de Blasio proclaimed at the time, likening the gifted program to "the segregation of students if they’re labeled as ‘gifted.’"
Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa is interviewed by Fox News Digital in New York City on Aug. 18, 2025. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)
"I will return to the previous policy. Ultimately, my administration would aim to make sure that every child receives a high-quality early education that nurtures their curiosity and learning," Mamdani said.
In a statement released Thursday, Cuomo said, "Our kids deserve clarity, not chaos, when it comes to their education."
"If there are tens of thousands of applications for limited G&T spots, parents are telling you something: They want more of it, not less. The answer isn’t to say good riddance to those families. If there are issues with how young children are selected, then fix that and expand opportunities — give more at the start of education and more on-ramps later. Don’t eliminate the program," Cuomo said.
The former governor said "eliminating opportunities for excellence doesn’t help underserved kids, it perpetuates the problem," adding that the Democratic Party has a tradition of providing "more opportunities for historically marginalized students to access these programs."
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Cuomo said, if elected mayor, he wants to double the number of specialized high schools in New York City, expand prep programs for underserved neighborhoods and preserve the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test.
Deirdre Heavey is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mamdani-torched-over-destructive-plan-axe-nyc-gifted-program-kindergartners