Andrew Cuomo shot to national fame in 2020 for his daily pandemic briefings as governor of New York. His political star fell just a year later, when he resigned in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal. Now he is attempting a comeback in the New York City mayor’s race.
The race has been turbulent. The incumbent, Eric Adams, was indicted on federal corruption charges that the Trump administration later dismissed. He is running for re-election, but not as a Democrat. That means the party’s nomination is up for grabs, and nearly a dozen candidates are on the ballot.
Recent polls show that Cuomo is roughly 10 percentage points ahead of the No. 2 candidate, Zohran Mamdani.
The Democrats’ final debate is tonight, and the primary is June 24. In today’s newsletter, I’ll answer some questions about Cuomo’s campaign, the field of competitors and what it all means for Democrats.
Why is Cuomo ahead?
He has broad name recognition after having served more than a decade as governor. He also has a huge campaign war chest and a $10 million super PAC behind him.
His critics point to his baggage: the sexual harassment allegations, his handling of nursing home deaths during the pandemic, his vindictive management style.
But many New Yorkers appear ready to give him a second chance. They seem to look back fondly at some of his achievements as governor, including the rebuilding of LaGuardia Airport. And this week he scored a coveted endorsement from former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a major Democratic donor.
Do other candidates have a chance?
Mamdani, a democratic socialist who is popular with younger voters, has risen in the polls. He promises to freeze the rent on rent-stabilized apartments and to make buses free and fast.
But several other candidates are trying to make a late surge.
- Adrienne Adams, the City Council speaker (who is not related to the mayor), has argued that she has the most experience in city government. She has proposed the nation’s largest guaranteed income program.
- Brad Lander, the city comptroller, is running as an earnest technocrat. He vows to end street homelessness for people with severe mental illness.
The city uses ranked-choice voting, which allows voters to rank up to five candidates they support. If your top choice is eliminated, your vote is transferred to the next candidate on your ballot.
The system can produce interesting alliances. Mamdani has forged a coalition with Lander and Adrienne Adams. If voters rank the three of them, and leave Cuomo off their ballot entirely, it could lead to an upset.
What is the biggest issue?
Many New Yorkers say working-class people can no longer afford to live in the city. Rents have soared, and homelessness is at record levels.
Cuomo wants to raise the minimum wage to $20 per hour, which would be among the highest in the nation. Mamdani has called for an even higher minimum wage, $30 an hour by 2030, and wants to create city-owned grocery stores. And all of the candidates are talking about building affordable housing.
The Times recently interviewed the eight leading candidates and asked them how much they pay for their rent or mortgage. Cuomo’s Manhattan apartment costs about $8,000 per month — far above the median rent in Manhattan of roughly $4,800. Mamdani says he pays about $2,200 in Queens.
Does it matter outside New York?
Many New Yorkers say they want their mayor to stand up to President Trump’s budget cuts and mass deportations. The election could reveal what type of Democrat they believe is best suited to do that.
Cuomo is a moderate who has criticized the left wing of his party. He said at the first debate that he knew how to deal with Trump because he had warred with him as governor.
“He can be beaten, but he has to know that he’s up against an adversary who can actually beat him,” Cuomo said. “And I can tell you this. I am the last person on this stage that Mr. Trump wants to see as mayor.”
Mamdani, meanwhile, has been endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive congresswoman. He said at the first debate that Cuomo was unlikely to stand up to Trump because they had similar donors and wealthy supporters.
“I am Donald Trump’s worst nightmare as a progressive Muslim immigrant who actually fights for the things that I believe in,” Mamdani said.
