Cuomo to run as independent in New York mayoral race

The former governor plans to mount a competitive campaign after his surprise loss in the Democratic primary to Zohran Mamdani.

Andrew Cuomo will run in the New York mayoral race as an independent. Picture: Getty Images.

Andrew Cuomo is not giving up yet on his political comeback.

The former governor plans to mount a competitive campaign in the general election for mayor of New York City after his surprise loss in the Democratic primary to Zohran Mamdani.

“I am in it to win it,” Mr Cuomo said in a campaign video released on Monday. Mr Cuomo’s name will appear on the general election ballot under the independent “Fight and Deliver” party he created as a backup plan in the event he lost the primary.

The general election will be a rematch between Mr Cuomo and Mr Mamdani, and will also feature incumbent mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent. Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee, and independent Jim Walden will also be on the ballot.

Mr Cuomo will compete with Mr Adams for moderate voters disaffected by the Democratic nomination of Mr Mamdani, a democratic socialist who campaigned on freezing the rents of rent-stabilised apartments and providing free bus service.

Mr Cuomo, son of former governor Mario Cuomo, was widely considered the frontrunner in the Democratic primary and enjoyed near universal name recognition. He held a wide lead in many of the polls before the primary.

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani campaigns in New York City. Picture; AFP.

He cast New York as a city in crisis and said his 10 years of experience as governor made him best equipped to lead with a steady hand. He campaigned as a business-friendly centrist, promising to hire more police, making subways safer and sticking up to President Donald Trump.

Major Democrat figures such as former president Bill Clinton and billionaire former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed him. The major labour unions and real estate industry – fearful of Mr Mamdani’s campaign pledge to freeze rents – also lined up behind Mr Cuomo.

But it wasn’t enough in the primary. Mr Cuomo fizzled out after running into the Mamdani campaign’s army of supporters and a flood of grassroots donations that overwhelmed the former governor’s efforts. Mr Cuomo’s opponents encouraged voters to use the ranked-choice system in the primary to pick anyone but him, with Mr Mamdani ending up the top beneficiary.

Mr Cuomo also had to contend with the baggage of the wave of sexual harassment allegations, which he has denied, that forced him to resign as governor in 2021. His record managing the Covid-19 crisis also came under renewed scrutiny. The Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into his congressional testimony about his actions during the Covid outbreak.

Now Mr Cuomo is hoping support from business interests, along with political independents and others worried about sending Mr Mamdani to City Hall, can power his campaign to a general election win.

Mr Cuomo’s rivals panned his announcement.

“Andrew Cuomo lost his primary and hides in the Hamptons,” Mr Sliwa said in a statement. “I’m the only candidate with a major party nomination, a 50-year record of serving New Yorkers, and a real path to victory.” The campaigns of Mr Adams and Mr Mamdani did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Mr Mamdani’s X account replied to the Cuomo campaign video with a link to Mr Mamdani’s fundraising apparatus on NYCVotes.org. As of 3.15pm Monday local time, the post had more than 13,000 likes, compared with nearly 400 for the video announcement.

Dow Jones