Andrew Cuomo vows to run in New York mayoral race as independent

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Andrew Cuomo has announced that he will run as an independent in the general election for New York City mayor, after the former governor suffered a surprise defeat to Zohran Mamdani in June’s Democratic primary.

“The fight to save our city isn’t over,” Cuomo said in a video released to his X account on Monday. “The general election is in November and I am in it to win it.”

The former New York governor conceded defeat in last month’s primary to state assemblyman Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who ran on a platform of making the city more affordable.

Mamdani, 33, benefited from a wave of enthusiasm from younger voters who backed him.

“My opponent Mr. Mamdani offers slick slogans but no real solutions,” Cuomo said on Monday. He added that just 13 per cent of New Yorkers voted in the primary. 

Cuomo faces a tough battle in the November general election since the city usually elects Democrats for mayor. He will also compete against incumbent mayor Eric Adams, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and independent Jim Walden. 

President Donald Trump has backed Adams in the mayoral race, calling him a “very good person”, while criticising Mamdani and threatening to take over the city if he is elected. Adams was indicted on federal charges last year before Trump’s justice department dropped the charges. Adams pleaded not guilty.

Cuomo resigned as governor four years ago following accusations of sexual harassment, which he denies.

The former governor enjoyed high favourability ratings during the Covid-19 pandemic when New York emerged as an early epicentre of the virus.

Letitia James, the state’s attorney-general, however, accused his administration of undercounting nursing home deaths, a controversy that re-emerged during the party primary debate in June. 

Much of Wall Street has lined up against Mamdani, but Cuomo will still have to compete against Adams to win its support. Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, who endorsed Cuomo for mayor ahead of the primary, backed Adams for the general election earlier this month and urged the former governor to exit the race.

Still, members of the business community donated more than $30mn to support Cuomo in the primary, with him winning support from big donors such as former mayor Michael Bloomberg.