NEW YORK — Andrew Cuomo will mount a long-shot independent bid for New York City mayor after he decisively lost a Democratic primary to Zohran Mamdani.
The former governor made the announcement in a social media post that showed images of him speaking with people on city streets — a seeming echo of Mamdani’s popular short-form videos interacting with New Yorkers.
In his announcement, Cuomo framed the race as a two-man contest with the 33-year-old democratic socialist, ignoring incumbent Eric Adams, Republican Curtis Sliwa and independent Jim Walden.
“The general election is in November and I am in it to win it,” Cuomo said. “My opponent Mr. Mamdani offers slick slogans, but no real solutions.”
Cuomo is moving forward with a bid on an independent line after Mamdani soundly defeated him by 12 points in the June primary’s final round of ranked-choice voting.
The video released by Cuomo’s campaign signaled a reset for a candidate who was criticized for running a low-energy bid during the primary. The 67-year-old former governor rarely spoke with reporters and avoided the typical glad handing that comes with a municipal campaign. The strategy was all the more glaring after his loss to Mamdani, who placed an emphasis on voter interaction and walked the length of Manhattan the night before the primary.
In his video, Cuomo thanked his supporters and apologized that he “let you down.” He also placed an emphasis on affordability — an issue that Mamdani hammered successfully.
“We need a city with lower rents, safer streets, where buying your first home is once again possible, where child care won’t bankrupt you,” Cuomo said in the video. “That’s the New York City we know.”
He pledged to meet voters where they are “on the streets.”
The medium itself was in stark contrast to Cuomo’s March announcement when he entered the primary. Wearing a suit and looking directly into the camera, Cuomo rolled out his bid in a 17-minute video. His video Monday signaling a general election restart featured the ex-governor in shirtsleeves and ran a comparatively zippy 94 seconds.
Cuomo, though, faces an uphill climb in a deep blue city that is accustomed to electing Democrats. He will mount the independent run without much of the institutional backing he enjoyed during the primary after his team stoked the perception the nomination was inevitable.
Crucial labor unions that backed Cuomo’s primary bid endorsed Mamdani days after his victory. And key supporters are yet to take a side.
“I want to see what he has to say,” said former state Comptroller Carl McCall, who Cuomo ran against during a disastrous 2002 gubernatorial primary, in a brief interview. McCall endorsed Cuomo in his mayoral primary bid.
Recent polling has shown Cuomo running a strong second to Mamdani. The former governor has embraced a pledge proposed by Walden for the field to coalesce around the strongest candidate to defeat Mamdani.
Cuomo’s opponents have signaled no intention to do that. Adams, the city’s second Black mayor, has decried Cuomo’s effort to remain in the race. The mayor has met with donors who supported a super PAC allied with the ex-governor during the primary.
Adams and Cuomo share a base of blue collar voters of color, who are considered more moderate, and Jewish New Yorkers. Mamdani in recent weeks has moved to bolster his support among these voters.
Cuomo’s primary supporters acknowledge both men remaining in the race will aid Mamdani.
“Both of them in the race makes them problematic,” Democratic Assemblymember David Weprin said.
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