(The Center Square) — Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to run as an independent candidate in November’s general election for New York City mayor after losing the Democratic primary.
It’s part of strategy among other independent candidates and party allies who want to prevent Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist and state lawmaker from Queens who is leading in the latest polls, from ultimately winning.
Cuomo, who qualified to run as an independent in the Nov. 4 elections, is expected to announce this week that he will stay in the race at least until September. He has also signed a pledge to drop out of the race by then if polls show him trailing behind other candidates, to help defeat Mamdani.
“We do not see any path to victory for Mayor Adams,” Cuomo’s campaign said in a statement. “This is the time to put aside the usual political selfishness and agree to do what is truly best for all New Yorkers.”
Cuomo accepted a pledge from independent candidate Jim Walden that the contenders who are trailing behind in a “independent survey” by September will drop out in the race to allow the top candidate to take on Mamdani in the general election ballot.
Mamdani, who defeated Cuomo in last month’s Democratic primary, has sent shockwaves through New York’s political establishment and drawn national attention from Republicans who have criticized the city’s dramatic shift to the left. The latest polls show Mamdani is the frontrunner of the mayoral race, ahead of Cuomo and Adams. The general election is Nov. 4.
The NYC mayoral pledge has garnered support from former Gov. David Paterson, a Democrat, who issued a statement last week saying it was the “only way” to keep Mamdani out of office by unifying Adam’s and Cuomo’s supporters against him. Neither Adams or Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa have taken the pledge, so far.
“I am glad Andrew has agreed to adopt my pledge,” Walden said in a statement. “I hope Eric and Curtis sign on as well. Putting New York’s best interests over our personal ambitions is critical at this moment.”
Sliwa, a co-founder of the Guardian Angels and perennial mayoral candidate, boasted that he is the “only candidate with a major party nomination, a 50-year record of serving New Yorkers and a real path to victory.”
“Andrew Cuomo lost his primary and hides in the Hamptons. Eric Adams skipped his and fled to Fort Lauderdale. Now, they’re both running as independents to cling to relevance,” Sliwa said in a statement. “While they play musical chairs on a sinking ship, I’m out campaigning in NYC, listening, leading, and fighting to win it for the people. Let the voters decide this November.”
Over the weekend, Adams shrugged off Cuomo’s calls for him to drop out of the race to prevent Mamdani from winning in November, and criticized his last-ditch bid to return to New York politics.
“Let’s not forget the damage he caused as governor. Cuomo led the charge on a flawed bail reform,” Adams said in remarks. “He failed New York’s most vulnerable during COVID. Now, Cuomo is wasting time and dividing voters. He failed then — and he’s failing New Yorkers now.”
Mamdani’s campaign issued a statement criticizing the two Democrats for conspiring against his candidacy with polls showing him as the front-runner in the mayoral race.
“While Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams are tripping over themselves to cut backroom deals with billionaires and Republicans, Zohran Mamdani is focused on making this city more affordable for New Yorkers. That’s the choice this November.”
