Who’s for Involuntary Confinement?

A new poll reveals what New Yorkers really think about the state of the city—and the results might surprise you. Kicking off the Race to Gracie Mansion series, Bradley and guest co-host Tom Allon (City & State Publisher) break down the largest study of NYC voters in years with the people behind it: John Della Volpe (Founder & CEO, SocialSphere) and Jamie Rubin (Board Chair, NYCHA). As the 2025 mayoral race heats up, they take a closer look into what New Yorkers are actually saying about crime, affordability, quality of life, and more—and what it all means for the city's future. Subscribe to Firewall to catch every episode of The Road to Gracie Mansion, where we sit down with the leading mayoral candidates and cut through the noise. First episode drops March 27. Chapters: 00:01:41 - Why Commission This Poll? 00:03:08 - Key Findings: What New Yorkers Are Saying 00:04:34 - What Makes This Poll Different? 00:06:04 - Pessimism in NYC: A Return to the '80s? 00:07:36 - Is NYC Part of a National Trend? 00:09:14 - The Mayoral Race: Breaking Down Voter Segments 00:12:27 - The Progressive Divide 00:15:24 - Eric Adams: Does He Have a Path to Re-Election? 00:17:27 - Cuomo’s Lead in the Polls 00:22:22 - Who Can Win? Evaluating Other Candidates 00:28:20 - Crime, Public Safety, and Perceptions vs. Reality 00:37:43 - NYC's Public Transit & Congestion Pricing 00:41:20 - Involuntary Confinement for Mentally Ill: Strong Support 00:44:33 - Migrant Crisis: Public Attitudes 00:48:07 - Housing Crisis & NYCHA Redevelopment 00:52:53 - Closing Thoughts & Where to Find More on the Poll The Landmark Study Reveals NYC Voters' Deep Concerns About City's Direction Ahead of 2025 Mayoral Election: https://www.jamesrubin.com/nyc-opinion-survey This episode was taped at P&T Knitwear at 180 Orchard Street — New York City’s only free podcast recording studio. Send us an email with your thoughts on today’s episode: info@firewall.media. Subscribe to Bradley's weekly newsletter, follow Bradley on Linkedin + Substack + YouTube, be sure to order his new book, Vote With Your Phone.