In New York City, the mayoral race is taking a dramatic new turn. Mayor Eric Adams has officially endorsed former Governor Andrew Cuomo to succeed him as mayor — a move that comes less than a month after Adams suspended his own re-election campaign.
The announcement followed Wednesday night’s heated final mayoral debate, where Cuomo — running as an Independent — faced Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
Instead of speaking to reporters after the debate, Cuomo was seen joining Mayor Adams courtside at Madison Square Garden for the Knicks game, where Adams made his endorsement public.
“I’m fighting for the family of New York,” Adams said. “That’s why I’m endorsing Andrew Cuomo — to make sure Black and Brown communities know what’s at stake in this election.”
A spokesperson for the mayor, Todd Shapiro, later confirmed the endorsement to Fox News. The New York Times first broke the story Thursday morning.
But the endorsement has sparked immediate backlash from Democratic frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, who continues to hold a commanding lead in the polls.
In a statement Thursday, Mamdani accused both Adams and Cuomo of aligning themselves with “the billionaire class,” calling them “two disgraced executives” representing “the politics of big money and small ideas.” He pledged to build what he called “a city every New Yorker can afford.”
At a campaign stop later that day, Mamdani doubled down, criticizing what he described as “the art of the deal” politics. He told supporters that New Yorkers don’t want “City Hall turned into an embassy for Washington’s authoritarianism.”
Pressure had been building for weeks for either Adams or Cuomo to step aside and consolidate anti-Mamdani support after Mamdani’s decisive primary win. Adams suspended his campaign in late September but stopped short of endorsing anyone — until now.
Meanwhile, wealthy donors — including Red Apple Media CEO John Catsimatidis and hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman — have reportedly urged Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa to drop out and clear a path for Cuomo.
Mamdani, who previously defeated Cuomo in the Democratic primary, reminded voters of Adams’ past criticisms of the former governor, including calling him “a snake and a liar.”
Adams acknowledged those remarks Thursday, saying, quote, “He called me names. But now it’s time to fight for the family — and I’m fighting for the family with Andrew Cuomo as the next mayor of New York City.”
According to a recent Fox News poll conducted October 10th through 14th, Mamdani holds a commanding 21-point lead among registered voters — 49 percent for Mamdani, 28 percent for Cuomo, and 13 percent for Sliwa. Among likely voters, Mamdani crosses the 50 percent threshold, widening his lead even further.
Still, Cuomo’s campaign insists the race isn’t over, noting that just weeks before the Democratic primary, he was widely seen as the frontrunner. Mamdani’s alliance with City Comptroller Brad Lander and their successful use of ranked-choice voting, however, helped deliver one of the most stunning upsets in recent New York political history.
With less than a month to go before Election Day, Adams’ endorsement could shift momentum — but whether it’s enough to close Mamdani’s commanding lead remains to be seen.
Reporting by Katy Moore.
