Andrew Cuomo staying on the ballot in NYC mayor race for November general election, sources say

CBS News

2 days ago

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be on the ballot in the New York City mayoral race for the November general election, sources tell CBS News New York's political reporter Marcia Kramer.
Cuomo has been considering whether to actively campaign, and sources say he will wait until next week when he sees the next round of ranked choice voting results from the Democratic primary.
He previously announced he would run as both a democrat and independent so he could be on the ballot in November, whether he won the primary or not. On Wednesday, he told Kramer he was still weighing his options.
"We're going to be looking at the numbers that come in from the primary, and then we have to look at the landscape in the general election, which is a totally different landscape," he said in an exclusive interview. "There are issues that came up -- the issue of affordability, which the assemblyman spoke to with offering a lot of free services -- and is that feasible? Is that realistic? Can that be done? So, basically, looking at the landscape in the general election, as it develops, and we'll take it one step at a time."
Cuomo had until Friday to withdraw his name from the November ballot.
Cuomo faces stunning primary challenge from Mamdani
Late Tuesday night, Cuomo announced he congratulated Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani for winning the Democratic primary, though he stopped short of officially conceding.
The former governor faced a stiff challenge from Mamdani in what became an increasingly close race against nine other Democratic candidates. The 33-year-old democratic socialist campaigned on lowering the cost of living, in part, by raising taxes on corporations and top earners.
The first, unofficial primary results were released when polls closed Tuesday night, showing Mamdani with 43.5% of the vote over Cuomo's 36.4%. Mamdani appears to be the winner, but it won't be formally declared until all votes - including mail-in and others - are counted and certified.
Cuomo and Mamdani would then face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in November, along with Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and independent candidate Jim Walden. Adams officially launched his reelection campaign Thursday after bypassing the primary by running as an independent.
A new poll released by Honan Strategy Group had Mamdani favored to win the general election against Adams -- unless Cuomo ran as an independent, in which case, the poll had Mamdani and Cuomo statistically tied. The poll showed them both at 39%, followed by Adams at 13%, Sliwa at 7% and Walden at zero.
Cuomo hoping to pull off political comeback
Cuomo served as the state attorney general before he was elected governor in 2010. He was reelected twice before stepping down in August 2021 amid a sexual harassment scandal.
He was accused of sexually harassing nearly a dozen women, including some on his staff. An investigation from state Attorney General Letitia James' office found he created a hostile work environment with offensive, suggestive comments and unwelcome, nonconsensual touching.
He denied the allegations -- at one point attributing his behavior to his Italian heritage -- but he ultimately resigned in the face of an impeachment investigation. His legal team later sued the attorney general's office and several of his accusers.
Cuomo's administration was also accused of lying about the number of people who died in state nursing homes during the early days of the COVID pandemic.
He testified before the Republican-led House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic as recently as last fall, after which lawmakers referred him to the Department of Justice for allegedly making false statements to Congress. The DOJ opened an investigation into the matter in May.
Cuomo acknowledged the scandals that forced his resignation when he reentered politics with his run for mayor.
"Did I always do everything right in my years of government service? Of course not," he said in a video announcing his campaing. "Would I do some things differently knowing what I know now? Certainly. Did I make mistakes, some painfully? Definitely, and I believe I learned from them and that I am a better person for it and I hope to show you that every day."
Cuomo built a campaign based on experience
Cuomo joined the crowded mayoral race on March 1 after much speculation.
"I know what needs to be done and I know how to do it. Experience matters," he said in his campaign announcement. "Leading New York City in the midst of a crisis is not the time or the place for on-the-job training."
He repeatedly touted his experience on the campaign trail, not only in leading the state of New York but in standing up to President Trump during the COVID pandemic. He also called out Mamdani for lacking that level of leadership.
A big endorsement in the race came from former New York City Michael Bloomberg, who had largely stayed quiet in mayoral elections since leaving office. Political experts called it a "huge" win for team Cuomo.
"Bloomberg talks to a specific type of voter -- down the Upper East Side corridor, down the Upper West Side corridor, up to Park Slope and Brooklyn. He talks to voters that come out in large propensities that are Democrats, that will cross over to vote Republican," political expert J.C. Polanco explained. "By endorsing former Gov. Cuomo, he gives them the green light -- you can support this guy, forget about the baggage you've heard about, he's the guy that I trust -- and they trust Bloomberg."
"It adds credibility, it adds money and it adds stability at a time when we see New York's future uncertain," added political analyst O'Brien Murray.
Cuomo also received a stunning endorsement from fellow Democratic candidate, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, who was once among his critics but said she now believes he's the best person to take on Mr. Trump. Other endorsements came from labor unions, Jewish groups and former New York Gov. David Paterson.
contributed to this report.