DC 37, Tish James rebuke Cuomo in backing Adrienne Adams for mayor

Leading chants of “Mayor! Adrienne!” at a major union endorsement rally on Wednesday, New York Attorney General Letitia James stole some wind from the sails of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s inevitability campaign.

Cuomo has been dominant in attracting major endorsements in the race for New York City mayor. Influential unions including 32BJ SEIU and the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council have in recent weeks backed the former governor, who’s polling with double-digit leads above any of his competitors.

But District Council 37 – New York City’s largest public sector union that represents 150,000 members – broke up that pattern this week, endorsing New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. The nod gave her campaign a much-needed boost and one that offered her endorsers plenty of opportunity to take aim at the former governor. 

The union endorsed Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani as their second choice and state Sen. Zellnor Myrie as their third. In addition to James, Adams was also endorsed by CWA Local 1180 and Unite Here Local 100.

After becoming the last candidate to enter the race, Adams is behind in fundraising and polling in the single digits. That puts her far behind not just Cuomo, but also Mamdani, who has maintained second place in most recent polls. 

Nearly every mayoral campaign has focused their ire on Cuomo as soon as he entered the race in March, if not earlier. It hasn’t seemed to make a dent in polls so far. 

Cuomo went before the union’s screening committee for their endorsement, executive director Henry Garrido said. “He made his case for why, in the same day and age as the Trump administration, he should be the solution,” Garrido said. “I think our members in the screening committee remained unconvinced.”

Garrido made it clear the union members haven’t forgotten cost-cutting changes to the pension system under then-Gov. Cuomo that reduced benefits for some retirees. “Tier 6 is fresh on the minds of so many city workers,” he said. 

Asked if he was worried that by not endorsing Cuomo, the union would be at risk of Cuomo making the union’s life “hell” in future contract negotiations if he does become mayor, Garrido suggested that Cuomo’s vindictive reputation is exactly why he wasn’t their pick. “Actually what you just said is the prime example of why he’s not here,” he told a reporter. “I’m not afraid of anybody coming in here. I am here to represent the people who elected me to do what I think is right. This is what’s right.”

James, who conducted the sexual misconduct investigation that led to Cuomo’s resignation, made thinly veiled comments that seemed aimed at Cuomo too. (Cuomo has denied the sexual harassment allegations against him.)

“(Adams is) stepping up at a time of chaos and confusion. Not out of political motivation – or political revenge or even redemption,” James said.

James also said she would be campaigning with Adams at Black churches – something she suggested “certain candidates” do in a bid for votes. “We don’t go to churches just around election time,” James said of herself and Adams. “We go to church every Sunday.” 

Cuomo has so far performed better than any of his rivals among Black voters in polls, and he’s received endorsements from Black clergy leaders. Some of his first public reappearances after resigning in 2021 were at Black churches. Asked about James’ comment, the Cuomo campaign referred City & State to a statement from Bishop Orlando Findlayter, the pastor at New Hope Christian Fellowship and a Cuomo endorser. Findlayter said that Cuomo “stood with the Black community during our most difficult days. …I hope Speaker Adams, as someone who understands the weight of leadership, will reflect on the importance of honesty and unity as we all work toward a better future for our communities.”

Myrie and Mamdani weren’t at the Adams-focused rally, but their campaigns told City & State they’re thrilled to have the union’s second and third-choice endorsements. “We look forward to hitting the trail with them in the future,” Myrie spokesperson Olivia Lapeyrolerie said. “We’re honored to have their support.”

“Last night at our delegates’ meeting, we announced a whole slate of candidates that we will be supporting. But today we’re here to announce our endorsement for the next mayor of the city of New York: Adrienne Adams,” Garrido said. From fighting for funding for libraries and cultural institutions to helping to stave off layoffs at the Brooklyn Museum, Garrido said, “She was there for us at every single step of the way. We are going to be there for her when she becomes the next mayor of the city of New York.”