Jim Walden, independent candidate for NYC mayor, backs pledge to drop out if not leading by September
Jim Walden is a former prosecutor and independent running for mayor of New York City. He's among the increasingly crowded independent field heading into the November general election.
Walden sat down with CBS News New York's political reporter Marcia Kramer for this week's episode of "The Point."
Walden calls for independents to unite around top candidate
Since there are so many independents in the race, Walden put forward the idea that they should all agree to drop out unless they are leading in the polls come September. That way, only one independent would face off against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani.
"We need a clean choice between a socialist agenda and a free market agenda, and if you have four candidates in the race, it makes it much more likely that they will split the vote and you'll have a spoiler situation," Walden explained. "I advanced it not for my own personal gain, [but] because my political interests and everyone else's ambitions should take a backseat to giving New Yorkers a very clean choice between one candidate and Zohran Mamdani."
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is also running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani, said in an interview last week that he was on board with the pledge, though he didn't give an exact deadline. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, also on the independent ticket, declined to join the pledge.
"I can't predict the future. What I can do is try to control the things that I can control. Eric Adams, Curtis Sliwa have said -- in my view, putting their own political interests above the city of New York -- that they're not going to participate in the pledge. OK, that's now. Let's give them some time," said Walden.
"The idea just came out the week before last, it's a new idea, it's obviously a novel idea, I'm not surprised that so many people are behind it. [Former] Gov. David Paterson supported it, obviously Andrew Cuomo did, other people online are supporting it as well.
"But this is the kind of person that I am and this is the kind of mayor that I'll be. Find a problem and solve it. And the pledge, if the other two candidates come on board, would solve a significant problem."
Walden focusing on "free market" policies
Walden also criticized Mamdani's socialist agenda, saying it's not achievable.
"I think it's a critically important moment for free market ideas to continue to be embraced in the capital of capitalism," he said. "I believe that I'll be the best mayor because I've got the most forward looking, ambitious plans for the city. They're achievable, they're achievable based on a free market economy."
Kramer noted affordability appears to be a key issue in the race, and that Mamdani has been able to mobilize young voters. Walden said he plans to build 50,000 new housing units a year by streamlining red tape and regulations.
"We need to speed development, we have to get shovels in the ground. If we're serious about a housing crisis -- we call this a housing crisis for a reason -- we have to take extraordinary measures. And the only way that we're really going to be able to solve the problem for the long term, so our kids can afford the city, is to build much more ambitiously."
He also said he wants to create a "nest egg" portfolio for the 29,000 kids born into poverty each year in the city, and start a "Shark Tank" style competition for kids in schools.
In their extended interview, Walden said he spent the past 30 years helping New Yorkers solve problems and talked about how that would continue if elected mayor. Watch their full conversation in the video player above.
