He’s pitching himself as the anti-Mamdani.
Cuban-born biotech entrepreneur Joseph Hernandez has jumped into the NYC mayoral race, framing his longshot candidacy as a direct challenge to socialist frontrunner Zohran Mamdani — whose ideology he says he knows all too well.
“I was raised in a socialist, communist society, so I am the antithesis of Zohran Mamdani’s ideology,” Hernandez told The Post.
“In fact, he’s a motivator for me to fight in this race. I despise socialism. I believe in the American dream. I believe in capitalism. It’s not perfect, but it has lifted more people out of poverty than any other ideology.”
“I’m doing this because I love the city and want to make it better,” Hernandez said. “I don’t have the baggage that many other candidates carry. I’m a businessman; I’m logical; I know technology; and I know how to structure budgets.”
A registered Republican, Hernandez leads Blue Water Venture Partners, a Manhattan-based healthcare and technology investment firm.
If elected, he has pledged to hire 10,000 new police officers, convert unused office space into affordable housing, and leverage artificial intelligence to improve city services, among other public safety and efficiency initiatives
Cuomo is a registered Democrat running for mayor of New York City as an independent.
Socialist Zohran Mamdani remains the frontrunner in this year’s race for City Hall.
The longshot candidate joins a crowded mayoral field that, in addition to Democratic frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, includes Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, Mayor Eric Adams, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and defense lawyer Jim Walden. Adams and Cuomo, though registered Democrats, are running as independents, while Walden is a registered Independent.
Since entering the race in late June, Hernandez said he has raised roughly $300,000 and already secured an endorsement from the Bodega and Small Business Group, which strongly opposes Mamdani’s plan to create Soviet-style, city-run supermarkets.
A recent Siena poll showed Mamdani leading with 44%, followed by Cuomo at 25%, Sliwa at 12%, Adams at 7%, and the remaining 12% split among other candidates or undecided voters.
Hernandez dismissed concerns that his candidacy might further split the moderate and conservative vote, potentially boosting Mamdani’s chances.
“I’m running because I live in this city, and I see it spinning out of control. I believe I’m the most qualified candidate,” Hernandez said. “I’m a businessman, I’m logical, I understand technology, and I know how to structure budgets.”
