Exclusive: Notable Republicans in New York are backing former Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo in the upcoming mayoral race, with the hope of undermining Democratic candidate Zoran Mamdani.
Rep. Nick Langworthy, a former chairman of the New York State Republican Party, expressed to Fox News Digital that it makes sense for him to support Cuomo instead of Mamdani, regardless of their differing views.
“This is straightforward. One candidate stands a real chance at winning, especially with polls showing him trailing by 10 points in a situation that’s still shifting,” Langworthy stated.
“We’re trying to protect the city from a shift towards communism. I’ve had strong disagreements with Governor Cuomo over the years, really fought hard against him. But I honestly believe he would be a far better mayor than the alternatives,” he added.
Leading New York newspapers prefer Andrew Cuomo over criticism of Mamdani
Cuomo has gained support from various prominent Republicans as the election nears.
Early voting started the previous weekend. Mamdani is perceived as the leading candidate in a heavily Democratic area, while Cuomo is running as an independent and Curtis Sliwa as a Republican candidate.
There are concerns among Mamdani’s critics that Cuomo and Sliwa’s efforts to attract independent and Republican voters might counterbalance each other.
Langworthy refrained from commenting on whether Sliwa should have withdrawn earlier from the race but noted, “Everyone should evaluate whether this is truly a serious candidacy or just a personal endeavor.”
“Only Andrew Cuomo has a clear path to defeating Mamdani. He understands how to manage government, and even if I disagree with his policies, he’s a more viable option than Mamdani or the Democratic Socialists who currently run things without accountability,” he mentioned.
Support strengthens for Zoran Mamdani in the race
Representative Nicole Malliotakis, who is the lone Republican in the House representing a portion of New York City and previously ran for mayor in 2017, stated that while she considers Sliwa the “best choice,” polls suggest that “Cuomo has the best chance against Mamdani.”
“Honestly, I’d pick either one of them—anyone but a communist,” she remarked.
“Mamdani doesn’t have enough experience. He’s just 34 years old, and the only job he’s had was in hip-hop— and not a particularly good one, if I may add. If another hurricane, pandemic, or even a terrorist attack happened, he wouldn’t know how to effectively lead the city through it,” she said.
Contrasting views on Mamdani’s potential success
Chairman Andrew Garbarino of the House Homeland Security Committee, who represents parts of Long Island, expressed his belief that Mamdani’s victory might be inevitable.
“The Democrats have rigged the system. They’ve set it up for primaries to use ranked choice voting, but not for the general election. It’s absurd,” Garbarino commented. “Though, I suppose, polls have been inaccurate before.”
Election Day for New York City is Tuesday, November 4.
