Low-polling independent attorney Jim Walden became the first candidate to drop out of the mayoral general election on Tuesday in an effort to block Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani from the mayoralty by trying to make the race a one-on-one match.
Walden, in a statement, said his move stems from his earlier proposal in July for the candidates who are not polling second to Mamdani to drop out of the race and support the one who is. The strategy is necessary, he said, to prevent the democratic socialist Mamdani from winning in November.
