Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
What’s driving the New York City mayoral race, and how might ranked-choice voting, crime, and policy backlash shape the outcome?
In this episode, City Journal’s Charles Fain Lehman is joined by John Ketcham, Renu Mukherjee, and Jesse Arm to break down the latest from the NYC mayoral primary. They also weigh in on the Supreme Court’s ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti, what it means for free speech and state regulation, and how New Yorkers are navigating the heat and headlines.
“Exhausted ballots will be a significant factor in this election,” notes Ketcham.
@CharlesFLehman: https://x.com/CharlesFLehman
@Jesse_Leg: https://x.com/Jesse_Leg
@RenuMukherjee1: https://x.com/RenuMukherjee1
@JKetcham91: https://x.com/JKetcham91
Get the best of City Journal—urban policy, politics, and culture—delivered weekly. city-journal.org/email-alerts
00:00 Introductions & Setting the Scene
01:41 What’s Driving the NYC Mayoral Race
06:23 Ranked-Choice Voting & Coalition Shifts
10:35 Crime, Policy Backlash & Voter Demographics
22:00 Gender medicine: Supreme Court’s ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti
26:33 Public Opinion & Political Fallout of the Decision
34:03 Final Thoughts: Predictions, Heat & Headlines
What’s driving the New York City mayoral race, and how might ranked-choice voting, crime, and policy backlash shape the outcome?
In this episode, City Journal’s Charles Fain Lehman is joined by John Ketcham, Renu Mukherjee, and Jesse Arm to break down the latest from the NYC mayoral primary. They also weigh in on the Supreme Court’s ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti, what it means for free speech and state regulation, and how New Yorkers are navigating the heat and headlines.
“Exhausted ballots will be a significant factor in this election,” notes Ketcham.
@CharlesFLehman: https://x.com/CharlesFLehman
@Jesse_Leg: https://x.com/Jesse_Leg
@RenuMukherjee1: https://x.com/RenuMukherjee1
@JKetcham91: https://x.com/JKetcham91
Get the best of City Journal—urban policy, politics, and culture—delivered weekly. city-journal.org/email-alerts
00:00 Introductions & Setting the Scene
01:41 What’s Driving the NYC Mayoral Race
06:23 Ranked-Choice Voting & Coalition Shifts
10:35 Crime, Policy Backlash & Voter Demographics
22:00 Gender medicine: Supreme Court’s ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti
26:33 Public Opinion & Political Fallout of the Decision
34:03 Final Thoughts: Predictions, Heat & Headlines
