Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) announced on Saturday afternoon that he will be entering the New York City mayoral race, adding a big name to the already busy Democrat Mayor Eric Adams (D).
“Our city is in crisis, so I'm running to become mayor of New York City,” he wrote on Social Platform X. With the video. “We need governments to work. We need effective leadership.”
He also included a link to him Campaign Website.
Cuomo's entrance is barely surprised after speculation that he will attempt a political comeback for years after he resigned as governor amid multiple controversies that ultimately involved his administration.
Cuomo appears likely to be an immediate frontrunner for the race, based on recent votes that include him, Adams and half a dozen other candidates already running for the nomination.
One vote starting December Showed It accounted for 32% in the first round of the city's ranked choice voting system, but the next closest competitor received only 10%. Cuomo ultimately reached the majority needed to win in the system in the fifth round of the vote.
From another January Showed He was 43% in his first round and his next cross opponent Adams was 13%.
However, Cuomo may have to overcome the prolonged shadows of the controversy that brought the end of his governor after a decade of tenure.
He is an increasingly stable presence within the Democrats and has become a regular fixture for television due to his briefings during the Covid-19 pandemic. He was temporarily floating in 2020 as a last-minute candidate for the president.
However, his administration has derailed throughout 2020 and 2021. Several women accused him of sexual harassment while in office. An independent investigation from state attorney general Leticia James (D) found that Cuomo had committed sexual harassment against almost 12 women.
Cuomo has rejected the findings of the report and has always denied all allegations against him, but he resigned from his duties shortly after the release of the report, saying he did not want to distract him from the functions of the government.
His administration also faced accusations that he intentionally compensated for the number of Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes. Department of Justice Inspector Reportreleased in January during President Trump's first term, officials discovered that other states may have violated the law when targeting the Democratic investigation into the issue of the state, despite the fact that other states suffered from more serious care issues in nursing homes.
Cuomo may still need to address questions about these issues during his campaign, but he can also point out his achievements as governor over the long term, and have the early benefits that come from previous statewide officials and known politicians.
He and other candidates have an unusual opening this year to win a nomination for the incumbent mayor.
He was charged with bribery and wire fraud in September, based on accusations of accepting bribery from businessmen and Turkish officials. His trial was scheduled to begin in April, just two months before the Democratic primary in June, but the Justice Department has directed prosecutors to drop the case.
The federal judge who oversaw the case has indefinitely delayed Adams' trial and directed those involved to file a brief on the impact of his pending ruling on whether to allow the case to be withdrawn in March.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Emil Bove's directive is unusual in that it did not assess the strength of the lawsuit and “improperly obstructed” Adams's 2025 reelection campaign and his ability to be “overly restricted” by illegal immigration and violent crime.
The move has sparked considerable backlash from career staff, leading to the resignation of multiple prosecutors over the decision, including US lawyer Daniel Sasson.
Adams denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty, but early signs point to the end of his legal difficulties that did not cause political turnarounds. Polls show that most New Yorkers have disapproved him, and many don't want to remove the accusations.
And even before Adams was indicted, his approval rating was underwater.
Despite the odds that appear to be against him, Adams continued his bid, vowing to run in the Democratic primary, and rejected speculation that he would run as a Republican.
Cuomo has already won some notable approvals before entering the race. These include Rep. Richie Torres (DN.Y.), former state director Carl McCall and Staten Island Democrats.
His campaign will also be supported by Super PAC, which functions independently of his campaign committee, called Fix the City. fake his allies.
Steff Danielle Thomas and Caroline Vakil contributed the report.
