With just one week left until New York City’s mayoral election, the campaign of progressive candidate Zoran Mandani continues to attract attention. According to the latest poll by Fox News, Mandani still maintains a significant lead, but an old video from 2020 has dragged him into a public opinion whirlwind. In the video, he claims that he “suffered anti-Muslim discrimination after the 9/11 attacks,” which critics have accused him of “exploiting victim status.”

The polarization of the election situation is becoming increasingly evident. On one hand, progressive leaders such as Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have gathered in New York to campaign for Mandani, calling on voters to support his “people’s livelihood first” policy. On the other hand, Fox News commentator Liz Peek bluntly stated that many Democrats are “shocked” by Mandani’s candidacy, believing that his stance may harm the party’s image.

At the same time, the New Jersey gubernatorial election has also shown signs of tightening. On the 25th (local time), the Henry family in the state announced that they had reached an agreement with the government, successfully preserving their 175-year-old family farm and preventing it from being used for affordable housing construction under the “eminent domain” policy. This incident has sparked discussions among voters about the boundaries of government power and may have a subtle impact on the election situation. Currently, early voting has begun for key off-year elections in four U.S. states, with transgender issues and livelihood policies emerging as the core focuses for voters.