Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared his long-expected candidacy for mayor of New York on Saturday, becoming the immediate front-runner in the crowded field of primary contenders including incumbent Mayor Eric Adams.
In a 17-minute video announcement, Cuomo painted a dark picture of a city “in trouble,” saying New Yorkers were fearful of subway crime and crises of homelessness and mental illness. Although he said little about policy particulars, Cuomo vowed to hire more police officers and said he was well positioned to work with President Donald Trump.
“I know what needs to be done, and I know how to do it,” he said.
Success in the June Democratic primary and November general election would cement a remarkable comeback for the 67-year-old Cuomo, who resigned the governorship in 2021 after a state investigation found he had harassed 11 women — charges that Cuomo denies. But becoming mayor would also be a humbling step down for a man who ran the state for a decade before his onetime deputy, Kathy Hochul, took over.
Cuomo will face immediate attacks from the eight other Democrats already in the race, who have sought to bring down his early double-digit polling lead by reminding voters of the harassment claims and other scandals — including allegations that Cuomo’s aides hid the toll of Covid-19 in nursing homes and used state resources to write a book for which he received a $5 million advance.
“Would I do things differently, knowing what I know now? Certainly. Did I make mistakes, some painfully? Definitely,” he said in the announcement video.
But Cuomo’s candidacy will be formidable. He will be boosted by a super PAC, spearheaded by longtime aide Steven Cohen, that reportedly aims to raise as much as $15 million to spread his message. He has secured early endorsements from U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres and the carpenters’ union, although it is unclear whether he will receive support from more high-powered unions like the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council or 32BJ SEIU.
And despite some wariness among business leaders who remember the ex-governor’s vindictive, mercurial style, Cuomo is expected to receive solid support from deep-pocketed developers who view him as the best option in a left-leaning field — given that the pro-business Adams now has an increasingly narrow path to victory.
In conversations with business leaders and other potential supporters, Cuomo has pitched himself as the best candidate to take on progressive mayoral candidates like Comptroller Brad Lander, and also argued he would serve as a counterweight to the left-leaning City Council, a person familiar with those conversations said.
Other factors may still complicate Cuomo’s path. Council Speaker Adrienne Adams is taking steps toward a mayoral run, and she has a base of support among Black voters in Southeast Queens — a community where Cuomo is counting on winning big.
An outside coalition of business and labor groups led by ex-Cuomo adviser Peter Kauffmann has also raised money for anti-Cuomo attack ads, but has not disclosed any of its funders.
And Cuomo will face questions about his ties to New York City. Although he was raised in Queens, he spent much of his adult life in Washington, D.C., Westchester County and Albany — where he worked for his father Mario during his 12-year tenure as governor. Cuomo changed his voter registration last year to a high-rise apartment building in Sutton Place.
