Jim Walden, independent candidate for New York City mayor, on Tuesday dropped out of the race while calling on other hopefuls to get behind the second-most popular choice in an effort to defeat New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani .

Recent polling shows Mamdani leading the crowded pack of candidates, with former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as his strongest competition.

Newsweek reached out to Mamdani's campaign via email Tuesday for comment.

Why It Matters

Mamdani's surge to become the potential face of the Democratic Party in The Big Apple has intensified debate over what the future direction of the party as a whole could look like, as his platform sharply differs from those more centrist and aligned with the establishment.

Mamdani has taken a more aggressive approac

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