In the New York City mayoral campaign, a young immigrant believes that Democratic socialists are taking over with a centrist former governor of the political dynasty.

With state Representative Zohran Mamdani and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the New York Democratic primary is seen as a reflection of the battle between progressive activists and the old Democratic defender of the U.S. Democratic Party.

The Democratic candidates will meet Wednesday night ahead of their first vote on June 24.

Incumbent Eric Adams, who was elected Democrat four years ago, will be missing. The mayor is currently running for re-election, which is becoming more and more popular.

Here is the Big Apple election and what it means to cities and countries.

Why is primary election important?

New York City is democratic, so the party's nominees may be on the November Tour.

In 2021, then-democratic candidate Eric Adams defeated Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa with nearly 40 percentage points. Since then, Adams has gained national popularity.

What are the risks?

The next mayor will be the executive of the largest city in the United States - solving many problems and facing pressing challenges including housing, cost of living, traffic jams and public transportation.

The impact on New Yorkers is obvious, but the results of the competition will also affect nearly 65 million people visiting the city each year.

New York is a major financial and cultural hub that is not only suitable for the United States, but also for the entire world.

Politically speaking, the main race could serve as a leader in the Democratic Party, and the election feasibility of the left-wing candidate ahead of next year's Congress midterm elections, with the president voting two years later.

This work comes with national information. The last three New York mayors run for president.

Who is the leader?

In the Democratic primary, the two leaders are Cuomo, 67, and Mamdani, 33.

Cuomo is the son of a former governor and has an extensive resume. Before becoming the state's governor in 2011, he served as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and New York attorney general.

He resigned in 2021 after a sexual harassment scandal and is now staging what once thought was an unlikely political comeback, rebuilding a coalition with politicians who called on him to resign a few years ago.

He is hosting a campaign aimed at improving urban management, addressing mental health issues and “fighting anti-Semitism.”

If Cuomo is the ultimate insider, Mamdani is his foil as a political insurgent.

Mamdani, a parent of Indian descent recognized by the Democratic Socialists (DSA), has served in the state assembly since 2021.

He is running on a progressive platform that includes freezing rents, eliminating the fees of public buses, and building affordable city-owned grocery stores.

Mamdani's rise in the polls was driven by the "army" of small donors and left-wing volunteers.

Who else is running?

On the Democratic side, City Auditor General Brad Lander also runs on democracy; New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams; former Auditor General Scott Stringer; state Senator Jessica Ramos; state Senator Zellnor Myrie; political adviser and former state Rep. Michael Blake; and investor Whitney Tilson.

Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams is running as an independent after the scandal and investigation that plagued his tenure.

Conservative activist Curtis Sliwa is the only Republican in the game.

What are the key dates?

The first Democratic debate will be held on June 4, and the second and final will be held on June 12. Early voting will begin on June 14, and the main elections will be held on June 24.

The election will be held on November 4.

What is ranking choice voting?

In New York City’s local elections, up to five candidates can be voted at once through the ranking selection system.

It works as follows: Voters choose their candidates in a cute order. In the first round of counting, the preferred ballot is counted. If no candidate gets a speed of more than 50%, then further counts of candidates are followed.

Each new round, the next choice of the votes will be calculated for the number of votes to be eliminated.

What do you say about the poll?

According to most surveys, Cuomo is leading the competition. A poll conducted by Emerson College last week showed the former governor was the first choice with 35.1% support - leading Mamdani at 22.7, Lander at 10.5.

Mamdani may look like a distant second, but his rise in the game is amazing. According to a survey by Emerson, he voted in February 1%.

Democratic socialist MPs did have a way to win – a vote against the vote was consolidated in later counts.

Why is Israel-Palestine the key issue in the game?

The next New York mayor will not decide how much military aid Israel receives or how the United States will vote on a UN Security Council proposal to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.

However, conflicts in the Middle East have always been a factor in local elections.

Mamdani has been an outspoken supporter of Palestinian rights. He participated in a hunger strike outside the White House in November 2023, demanding an end to the war against Gaza.

His position has aroused the anger of Israeli supporters. Despite Mamdani being a citizen, Republican New York City Council member Vickie Paladino called for deportation on Monday.

Paladino later doubled his anger at her statement, claiming that Mamdani was not eligible for citizenship in current regulations for her participation in the Pro-Palestine group.

In his case, Cuomo positioned himself as Israel's top defender, accusing several of his opponents - not only Mamdani - of being too critical of American allies.

"It's simple: anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism," he said in April.

The city of Fix, a pro-company political group, has received massive donations from pro-Israeli donors, including $250,000 from billionaire Bill Ackman, according to the New York Campaign Financing Commission.

New York City - home of Columbia University - protests against a wave of U.S. support for Israel's war in Gaza, which killed more than 54,600 Palestinians.

This question may affect some voters, in part because many Democrats see it as a touchstone test of a wider ideological tendency.