Cuomo Continues Mayoral Campaign as Independent

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared his intention to carry on with his bid for the mayoralty of New York City, but this time he’s running as an Independent candidate after losing the Democratic primary to Zohran Mamdani.

In a video posted on social media, Cuomo emphasized that only a small percentage of New Yorkers participated in the primary elections. “Only 13 percent of New Yorkers voted in the June primary. The general election is in November and I am in it to win. My opponent Mr. Mamdani offers slick slogans, but no real solutions,” he stated in a video shared on Monday.

He added, “We need a city with lower rent, safer streets, where buying your first home is once again possible, where childcare won’t bankrupt you. That’s the New York City we know. You deserve a mayor with the experience and ideas to make it happen again and the guts to take on anybody who stands in the way.”

Even though Cuomo was leading in several polls, he fell short in the primary, where Mamdani, a self-described Democratic Socialist, captured 56.2% of the vote through a ranked-choice system, compared to Cuomo’s 44%.

Mamdani responded to Cuomo’s announcement on X, sharing a link to his campaign contribution post that garnered 71,000 likes, significantly overshadowing Cuomo’s 2,100 likes on his original post.

Cuomo will be contesting against the current Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an Independent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

Mamdani’s campaign focuses on socialist policies, including freezing rents for stabilized units, offering taxpayer-funded bus fares, establishing city-owned grocery stores, and implementing substantial tax increases on corporations.