Andrew Cuomo will stay in NYC mayor's race after Mamdani's stunning primary, sources say
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is staying in the New York City mayor's race, but is debating whether to actively campaign after Zohran Mamdani's stunning performance in the Democratic primary, sources tell CBS News New York.
Cuomo, who all but conceded the race the Mamdani, decided to keep his name on the November ballot while Friday's to withdraw it loomed.
"The Democratic primary is always an interesting situation, right?" the ex-governor said in an exclusive interview with CBS News New York. "There are about 5 million voters in New York City. There are about 8 million people in New York City, and about 1 million people vote in the Democratic primary. So it's not necessarily representative of the city at large."
Sources said he will decide whether to actively campaign next week, when the next batch of ranked choice voting results is released.
"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. "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 previously said he would run as a Democrat and independent, so he could be in the general election regardless of who won the primary.
He will appear on the independent "Fight and Deliver" ballot line he created. Candidates have until the end of the day to withdraw from running on independent lines they qualified for, according to the New York Board of Election calendar.
President Trump takes shot at Mamdani
President Trump on Friday railed against Democratic voters who made Mamdani, the 33-year-old state assemblyman from Queens, their presumptive nominee for mayor.
"This communist from New York. Somebody gets elected, I can't believe that's happening. That's a terrible thing for our country, by the way. He's a communist. We're gonna go to a communist? That's so bad for New York," Mr. Trump said.
Mamdani, whose triumph over Cuomo rocketed him into the national spotlight, identifies as a democratic socialist and not a communist.
"I will be the mayor for every New Yorker, whether you voted for me, for Governor Cuomo, or felt too disillusioned by a long, broken political system to vote at all," he said after the primary.
It was unclear if the president was in some way trying to help Mayor Eric Adams by claiming Democrats like Mamdani want to raise people's taxes.
"They say 'we will raise your taxes,' and they elect people like this guy in New York that maybe has a chance," Mr. Trump said.
Mamdani's team did not respond to calls seeking comment about the president's remarks.
Mayor Adams launches reelection campaign
Adams formally announced his independent reelection campaign on Thursday. Even with Mamdani and Cuomo in the race, he said he still thinks he can win in November.
"I believe Andrew ran and his numbers are clear on how he lost to Mamdani. And I think that we're going to come out with a very clear message, very direct message. And he doesn't have a record. I have a record. I could run on my record, and that's what I'm excited about, to let New Yorkers know about the record," Adams said.
The mayor took aim at Mamdani's promises for free bus rides, city-run grocery stores, and a rent freeze for stabilized tenants.
"This is not a city where you use idealism to state you're giving everything to everyone for free. There's no dignity in someone giving you everything for free. There's dignity in giving you a job," he said.
Meanwhile, Adams announced an agreement with the City Council on an approximately $115 billion budget that includes expanded child care and library services.
A poll by the Honan Strategy Group released Thursday had Mamdani and Cuomo statistically tied at 39% and Adams at 13%, followed by Republican Curtis Sliwa at 7% and independent Jim Walden at 0%.
