Cuomo to Mount Independent Bid for NYC Mayor After Stunning Primary Loss to Mamdani
After losing the Democratic primary to socialist Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo plans an independent bid for NYC mayor, setting up a high-stakes showdown in a divided city with a crowded November ballot.
Former New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is poised to launch an independent campaign for New York City mayor, a defiant move following his upset loss to democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in the June 24 Democratic primary, according to sources familiar with his plans. The decision sets the stage for a contentious November election in a city grappling with ideological divides and a crowded field of candidates.
Mamdani secured a decisive 43.5% of first-place votes in the Democratic primary, outpacing Cuomo’s 36.3% with 95% of precincts reporting, per preliminary results. Bolstered by ranked-choice voting and cross-endorsements from progressive contenders like City Comptroller Brad Lander, Mamdani’s grassroots campaign resonated with younger voters, drawing endorsements from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders. Cuomo, 67, conceded on election night, praising Mamdani’s “smart and impactful” campaign but signaling his intent to stay in the race.
Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations he denies, had banked on his crisis-tested record and over $25 million from the Fix the City super PAC to reclaim political relevance. Yet his limited campaign trail presence and appeals to nostalgia for his COVID-era leadership failed to counter Mamdani’s progressive surge, which championed rent freezes, free public transit, and tax-funded municipal grocery stores.
Now, Cuomo is expected to run on the “Fight and Deliver” ballot line, secured before the primary, joining a general election field that includes incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, running as an independent after federal corruption charges were dropped, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and independent Jim Walden. Sources say Cuomo’s team believes the broader electorate may favor his centrist platform over Mamdani’s left-leaning agenda. However, social media chatter on platforms like X suggests unease among progressives, who fear Cuomo and Adams could split the moderate vote, inadvertently boosting Mamdani in a Democratic stronghold.
Cuomo has floated a pact for trailing candidates to exit by mid-September to consolidate opposition to Mamdani, a proposal backed by former Gov. David Paterson and billionaire John Catsimatidis but excluding Mamdani himself.
With final ranked-choice results due by July 1, New Yorkers brace for a mayoral contest that could redefine the city’s political fault lines.