Andrew Cuomo confirms independent run for NYC mayor
By Matthew McDermott, David DeTurris, Matthew Fischetti and Matt Troutman
He won’t Cuo away.
Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed Monday that he’ll mount an independent run for New York City mayor – but vowed to drop out if he’s not in the lead to beat socialist Zohran Mamdani come September.
Cuomo officially announced his intent in a video released on X that acknowledged his drubbing to Mamdani in the June Democratic primary, but argued only a fraction of New Yorkers had voted in that election.
Andrew Cuomo announcing his independent mayoral candidacy.
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Andrew Cuomo confirmed on Monday he will run for mayor of New York City as an independent.
X/@andrewcuomo
Andrew Cuomo taking a selfie with a woman outside a KeyFood grocery store.
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Cuomo’s announcement comes just weeks after his resounding loss to Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary.
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“The general election is in November and I am in it to win it,” he said.
The announcement followed Cuomo pledging that he’d ditch his bid if he’s not leading anti-Mamdani candidates in September.
“If it’s me, fine. If it’s not me, I will defer,” Cuomo told The Post outside his Manhattan apartment.
The plan had been initially proposed by longshot independent candidate Jim Walden as a way to make it a more-competitive two-person race and increase chances of defeating Mamdani.
Mayor Eric Adams quickly blasted Cuomo’s pledge as self-serving Monday.
New York Post front page: Critics blast Andrew Cuomo for independent mayoral run.
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The former governor has faced mounting calls to bow out of the race.
“He knew that I already made it clear I was not going to be in the Democratic primary. I was going to be in the independent line. He knew that Mamdani was going to be on the Working Families Party line. So why did he all of a sudden say, ‘Now I’m going to join the independent petition?’” Adams told reporters at an unrelated event.
“He knew the scenario. His desire was to – I’m going to force Eric out of the race.”
Hizzoner accused the ex-gov on Monday of backhandedly using Walden to launder a selfish bid to stay in the race after his embarrassing primary loss to Mamdani.
“This is a typical Andrew Cuomo playbook,” Adams said. “You send someone out, make the announcement independently, and then you come later, it seems like you’re the fairest person.”
Adams noted that poll numbers leading up to the primary had Cuomo ahead by double digits.
Mamdani trounced Cuomo 56% to 44% in the final ranked-choice primary tabulations.
“If we’re going to use these methods of making the determination that they have already proven inaccurate, why are we going to put the risk of New Yorkers by someone who has not kept his word?” Adams said. “As he has a consistent record of not keeping his word, why are we going to trust him now?
“He just can’t help himself, and you can’t trust him at his word.”
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