Tottenville isn’t like the rest of New York City. Getting the ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island is one thing, but 45 minutes on the train takes you to a different world. While the residents’ mayor might have captured global attention for his leftist positions, this is a Republican town: the President won 83 per cent of the vote in 2024. As the midterms grow ever closer, Tottenville is a slice of Trump’s America in Mamdani’s New York City.
It was sunny when I finally got off the train. I had left all the tourists on the ferry as they immediately returned to Manhattan, and by the time I arrived at the southwest tip of Staten Island, I was the only one in my carriage. In New York City fashion, it wasn’t really obvious how to leave the station, but soon I was over a bridge and into Tottenville.