Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will not withdraw from the New York City mayoral race by the upcoming Friday deadline, according to sources familiar with the situation. This decision maintains the contingency plans Cuomo established prior to the Democratic primary, where he aimed to challenge both Zohran Mamdani and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in the November election.
Cuomo, who conceded the Democratic primary race to Mamdani on Tuesday night, has not yet committed to an active campaign throughout the summer and fall. However, he will retain his position on the “Fight & Deliver” ballot line for the November election, according to three sources. This strategic move suggests that Cuomo is banking on the notion that the city’s electorate will differ significantly from the Democratic primary voters who were motivated by Mamdani’s focus on affordability and dynamic online campaign videos.
Cuomo’s camp believes that Mamdani’s policy proposals, including a rent freeze and city-operated grocery stores, will face increased scrutiny now that he appears poised to secure a Democratic primary victory once ranked-choice votes are counted next week. In response to Cuomo's potential candidacy, Mamdani told CNN’s Erin Burnett, “Ultimately Andrew’s decision and my decision matters less than the decision that voters already took on Tuesday night.” When questioned about the prospect of running against Cuomo in November, Mamdani remarked, “We did it once and it turned out pretty well.”
Notably, since Tuesday's primary results, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and prominent political figures such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have praised Mamdani but refrained from endorsing him. Additionally, two House Democrats from swing districts in the New York suburbs expressed criticism towards Mamdani following his primary success, while Republicans have intensified their critiques, attempting to link national Democrats to him.
Mamdani is set to face off against Eric Adams, who has chosen to run as an independent after opting out of this year’s Democratic primary, as well as Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. Cuomo’s decision to remain on the November ballot opens the possibility for a political comeback, four years after he resigned amid sexual harassment allegations that he has consistently denied.
Initially considered the front-runner in the mayoral contest, Cuomo faced significant backlash from progressive factions over both the sexual harassment allegations and his management of the Covid-19 pandemic during his tenure as governor. This dissatisfaction has fueled much of the liberal enthusiasm for Mamdani. Cuomo is likely counting on his ability to attract moderates and progressives who may have concerns about Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, or Adams, who faced federal bribery charges before they were dismissed by the Trump administration.
Interestingly, Cuomo can maintain his ballot line without actively campaigning, a strategy he employed in 2002 when he exited a Democratic primary run for governor but remained a candidate on the Liberal Party ticket. As of now, Cuomo has not established a timeline for deciding whether to actively campaign or when he might consider re-launching his campaign efforts. “There’s no clock ticking,” one source commented, indicating that Cuomo's political future remains open-ended.
This story will continue to evolve as more details emerge from the ongoing mayoral race, keeping New Yorkers engaged in the political landscape leading up to the November elections.
