Andrew Cuomo just won’t stop.
The disgraced former governor of New York announced Monday that he is pursuing a third-party run for New York City mayor, despite having faced a tough loss to Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary last month.
“As my grandfather used to say, when you get knocked down, learn the lesson and pick yourself back up and get in the game, and that is what I’m going to do,” Cuomo said in a new campaign video.
Cuomo will appear on the general election ballot under the independent “Fight and Deliver” party—a fallback name he created in case he lost the Democratic nomination. His return sets the stage for a hectic five-way general election against Mamdani, embattled Mayor Eric Adams (now running as an independent), Republican Curtis Sliwa, and independent Jim Walden.
The former governor is expected to compete primarily with Adams for moderate and business-minded voters who might be worried about Mamdani’s democratic socialist platform, which includes a rent freeze for stabilized apartments and free citywide bus service.
Cuomo entered the Democratic primary as the front-runner. He had widespread name recognition, major labor endorsements, and backing from the real estate industry. But his limp comeback pitch, in which he rarely engaged in interviews or unscripted interactions with voters, crumbled under Mamdani’s energized progressive base and a surge of grassroots support.
A coordinated “Don’t Rank Cuomo” campaign also hurt his chances in the race, which used ranked-choice voting. (The general election will not use ranked choice.) In the end, Mamdani beat Cuomo by more than 12 percentage points in the final round of voting.
Now Cuomo is counting on a broader general-election coalition—independents, disillusioned Democrats, and institutional allies—to block Mamdani’s path to Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s official residence.
But the journey ahead is difficult. Cuomo carries baggage that led to his resignation as governor in 2021, including numerous sexual harassment allegations and a revived Justice Department probe into his COVID-19 crisis management.
In his latest video, Cuomo focused on Mamdani, ignoring the other candidates altogether.
“Only 13% of New Yorkers voted in the June primary. The general election is in November, and I am in it to win it,” Cuomo said. “My opponent, Mr. Mamdani, offers slick slogans but no real solutions.”
Meanwhile, Mamdani’s team brushed it off.
“While Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams are tripping over themselves to cut backroom deals with billionaires and Republicans, Zohran Mamdani is focused on making this city more affordable for New Yorkers,” said a Mamdani campaign spokesperson. “That’s the choice this November.”
Still, Cuomo’s spot on the ballot isn’t guaranteed. According to The New York Times, sources close to his campaign say he might withdraw by early September if polling shows he isn’t the strongest opponent to Mamdani. If that happens, he’s expected to push other challengers to do the same. (Adams and Sliwa have both said they’ll stay in regardless.)
With Democrats outnumbering Republicans nearly 6 to 1 in the city, Mamdani remains the favorite. And some of Cuomo’s former allies have jumped ship and backed Mamdani. Others, especially among the city’s wealthiest and the luxury real estate industry, are still looking for the best way to stop the democratic socialist and prefer to see the field narrow behind either Adams or Cuomo.
The general election is scheduled for Nov. 4. Whether Cuomo will still be in the race by then remains to be seen.
Alex Samuels July 15, 2025 at 12:30AM From Daily Kos
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