Andrew Cuomo launches mayoral bid

Andrew Cuomo officially announced he would run for mayor in New York City’s Democratic primary this weekend, dramatically shaking up the field of candidates challenging Mayor Eric Adams and ending months of speculation on whether the former governor would seek a political comeback more than three years after resigning amid multiple allegations of sexual harassment.

Announcing first in a 17-minute video on Saturday, followed by a buzzy campaign launch at a union headquarters on Sunday afternoon, Cuomo’s entrance comes in wake of multiple polls projecting the former governor as the front-runner in June’s mayoral primary. With a host of wealthy, powerful supporters, a string of recent victories, and sweeping name recognition garnered over his decade-long tenure as governor, Cuomo has loomed large over the mayoral race even before actually entering it. Now, having launched his campaign, his carefully orchestrated political comeback will be put to the test – as will the staying power of the MeToo movement and what direction New Yorkers want the city to take as it faces a dire housing crisis, concerns about public safety and affordability, and an ongoing leadership crisis related to the federal corruption charges unveiled against New York City Mayor Eric Adams last year. 

At his campaign launch event on Sunday, Cuomo sought to project a stable base of support, with union members in attendance and delivering shoutouts to Harlem Assembly Member Eddie Gibbs and Brooklyn Council Member Farah Louis. The event was hosted at the headquarters of the District Council of Carpenters, which endorsed the Cuomo campaign on Sunday, along with District Council 9 Painters & Allied Trades.  

Introduced by his three daughters, Cuomo walked on stage to Ace Frehley’s “New York Groove,” before describing his candidacy as motivated by his calling for public service despite its costs. “We are here because we love New York, and we know New York City is in trouble,” he said on Sunday, repeating many of the calls in his video for increased policing, action to address street homelessness and fighting antisemitism.

Throughout his lengthy announcement video released a day earlier, Cuomo sought to reintroduce himself to New Yorkers, citing his record of achievements, including legalizing marriage equality for same-sex couples, enshrining Roe v. Wade in state law, and rebuilding LaGuardia Airport. He also pitched himself as an experienced government veteran ready to fight for New York City – against President Donald Trump and the White House as well as against crime, disorder and social issues impacting the city from within. 

“I know what needs to be done and I know how to do it. Experience matters, leading New York City in the midst of a crisis is not the time or the palace for on-the-job training,” Cuomo said in the video. 

Cuomo also faces scrutiny over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, particularly as it related to deaths in nursing homes, and a $5 million book deal about his management of the crisis that was inked even before the first vaccines were widely available. In what may have been an allusion to the rockiness at the end of his tenure – albeit in a safely vague way – he added, “Did I always do everything right in my years of government service? Of course not. Would I do some things differently knowing everything that 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.”

Cuomo enters the race with a host of strong advantages – and plenty of baggage. Among the biggest is his resignation as governor in 2021 after he was accused of sexual harassment and inappropriate sexual contact by multiple women, including state employees. A report by state Attorney General Letitia James found credible claims of harassment from 11 women, and a subsequent report by the Biden Department of Justice found he subjected 13 women to sexual harassment. Cuomo has denied wrongdoing and aggressively fought those accusations. While Cuomo has garnered particularly strong polling support from Black outer borough voters – a constituency that helped Adams win in 2021 – he’s also deeply unpopular with more left-leaning New Yorkers. 

“I will fight Washington and Albany to make sure we get our fair share of funding, and to protect the rights and values that New Yorkers hold dear: that we believe that any discrimination by race, color, or creed is anti-American,” Cuomo said in his video address, noting that while he’s willing to collaborate with Trump – as he did during the president’s first term – he’s also willing and ready to push back. On top of standard issues like crime, housing and immigration, what the relationship between the next mayor and the president should look like will likely play a big role in the mayoral race. As Adams faces criticism for his soft stance towards Trump, his challengers have sought to position themselves as capable of standing up to the president on behalf of the city. 

He’s certainly not the only one seeking to challenge Adams. A host of other candidates have already entered the race, including New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, former Comptroller Scott Stringer, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, among others, have already had months to build up their campaigns, raise money and hone their messaging. Public polling before Cuomo’s entrance into the race has consistently placed him in the lead, usually followed mostly closely by Lander and Stringer. 

Reflecting just how much the other candidates see Cuomo as the candidate to beat at this point, several of the other contenders released prepared statements attacking Cuomo within minutes of him launching. 

“Andrew Cuomo is for himself and only himself, and is hoping New Yorkers will forget his disastrous record for our city of endless scandals, destroying the subway, and cutting basic services,” Lander said in a statement. He and Ramos attempted to tie Cuomo to Adams, casting them both as incompetent managers, while Mamdani compared the former governor to Trump. Multiple candidates, including Lander, Mamdani and Stringer even had prepared videos reacting to the announcement.