Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo launched an independent run for New York City mayor on Monday, restarting his campaign after a bruising loss to progressive Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary.
In a video, Cuomo announced he would remain in the race to combat Mamdani, a democratic socialist state lawmaker, while previewing a strategic reset that would bring a more personal approach to a campaign that had been criticized as distant from voters.
“The fight to save our city isn’t over,†Cuomo said. “Only 13% of New Yorkers voted in the June primary. The general election is in November and I am in it to win it.â€
Critics of Mamdani’s progressive agenda, which includes higher taxes on the wealthy, have called on donors and voters to unite behind a single candidate for the November election. Instead, Cuomo joins a crowded field that also includes current Mayor Eric Adams, who is also a Democrat running as an independent. These candidates now face a complex task in cobbling together enough voters in an overwhelmingly Democratic city where Mamdani has amassed significant momentum.
In a statement, Jeffrey Lerner, a spokesperson for Mamdani, criticized Cuomo and Adams while emphasizing that the Democratic nominee “is focused on making this city more affordable for New Yorkers.â€
Cuomo's decision to press on is the latest chapter in his comeback attempt, launched almost four years after he resigned as governor in 2021 following a barrage of allegations. He denied wrongdoing during the campaign, maintaining that the scandal was driven by politics.
The former governor was the presumed frontrunner for much of the primary. His juggernaut campaign drew heavily on his deep political experience, universal name recognition and a powerful fundraising operation, but at the same time limited media interviews, held few unscripted events and avoided mingling with voters.
The guarded strategy was in heavy contrast with Mamdani’s energetic run, which was centered around making the city a more affordable place to live and amassed a legion of volunteers, all while the candidate's savvy social media persona won him national acclaim.
Mamdani’s massive win sent a lightning bolt through the Democratic party, energizing young progressives but also unnerving moderates who worried the candidate’s criticisms of Israel and socialist label could alienate centrist voters.
Cuomo, in his video Monday, appeared to acknowledge his campaign’s shortcomings, splicing his latest pitch to return to the political stage with clips of him shaking hands with people and a vow to run a more grounded campaign.
“Every day I'm going to be hitting the streets meeting you where you are, to hear the good and the bad, problems and solutions,†he said, “because for the next few months it's my responsibility to earn your vote.â€
Mamdani had been relatively unknown when he launched his mayoral candidacy but picked up heavy momentum before trouncing the former governor by more than 12 percentage points. Cuomo conceded the race on the night of the election.
Despite the loss, Cuomo had qualified to run on an independent ballot line in November under a party he created called “Fight and Deliver."
Cuomo began losing support from traditional allies as he weighed whether to remain in the race, with key labor unions and political leaders starting to line up behind Mamdani. Rev. Al Sharpton, an influential Black leader, has urged Cuomo to step aside.
Some deep-pocketed contributors have meanwhile aligned behind Adams. Although he's still a Democrat, Adams pulled out of the primary shortly after a federal judge dismissed a corruption case against him at the request of President Donald Trump’s Justice Department, arguing that the case had sidelined him from campaigning.
Adams, in a statement released by his campaign, said “Cuomo is wasting time and dividing voters.â€
“The people spoke loudly — he lost. Yet he continues to put himself over the number one goal — beating Mamdani and securing our city future,†said Adams.
Jim Walden, a former prosecutor, is also running as an independent candidate. Curtis Sliwa, founder of the 1970s-era Guardian Angels anti-crime patrol, is on the Republican line.
Cuomo's campaign released a statement later Monday that said the former governor had agreed to a proposal by Walden that “in mid-September, we will determine which candidate is strongest against Mamdani and all other candidates will stand down, rather than act as spoilers and guarantee Mamdani’s election.â€
Both Adams and Sliwa have insisted they would not drop out of the race.
