Mayoral contender Andrew Cuomo argued Wednesday that his leading opponent, Zohran Mamdani, lacks the experience to lead the city. “I think New Yorkers are smart. They know that somebody has to know how to do the job,

Mr. Mamdani, a state lawmaker from Queens and a democratic socialist, has emerged as one of the front-runners in the mayor’s race, along with former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, by focusing on affordability.

Mamdani dropped out of the bidding before it got serious (the two top bidders now appear to be affiliated with large firms, although POLITICO could not reach them for comment).