Andrew Cuomo for New York City Mayor?
My reporting on the latest developments concerning the former governor
A longtime ally of former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has held early discussions with potential donors about setting up a big-money group that could boost a possible run for mayor of New York City, I reported last week in The Wall Street Journal.
The talk of an independent expenditure committee is the latest step toward a comeback by the Democrat, who resigned in 2021 in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal and an impeachment investigation. He has denied wrongdoing. Cuomo, who was born in Queens and this year registered to vote in Manhattan, has made speeches at houses of worship in the city and met privately with officials and labor leaders.
Steve Cohen, who initially served as Cuomo’s top aide after he was elected governor in 2010, has gauged the interest of potential donors in contributing to a committee that would support a Cuomo campaign, people familiar with the matter said. The response to the idea, which came up after the November election, was mixed, some of the people said.
No such committee has been established, and it wasn’t clear how far along the governor’s aides are in their discussions about whether to form one. In an interview, Cohen told me: “There’s no question that a whole lot of people have been calling me, asking me what are his plans, and have been very encouraging of Andrew Cuomo as a leader at this time and in this place.”
The 2025 mayoral election in New York City is already shaping up to be one for the ages. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams was indicted on federal bribery charges in September, prompting a flurry of challengers to declare campaigns for the Democratic nomination, which will be determined in a late-June primary. Adams has pleaded not guilty and says he’s done nothing wrong. His trial is scheduled for April.
Cuomo, if he ran, would do so in the moderate lane of the party — with an argument and base very similar to Adams. Attorney Jim Walden and investor Whitney Tilson are in the same space, as is arguably Michael Blake, a former Assemblyman. Progessive candidates include Assemblyman Zohran Momadani, State Senators Jessica Ramos and Zellnor Myrie as well as current and former city comptrollers Brad Lander and Scott Stringer.
Early polls — and boy, is it early — show Cuomo in a position of relative strength. But that’s mostly because he has high name recognition from 15 years in statewide office. Strong polling begets news coverage and fundraising, which begets strong polling, which … well, you get the idea. It’s why many of the declared candidates threw barbs at Cuomo’s latest moves. Politico did a good round up of that.
Chris Coffey, a Democratic strategist who advised Andrew Yang’s unsuccessful mayoral bid in 2021, warned about this fickle focus. “Beware every candidate and every reporter (and every oppo person) making Cuomo the sole focus of the race,” he tweeted. “Allows other candidates to be unvetted. Until it’s too late.”
And again, Cuomo hasn’t declared he will run – and still might not. Spokesman Rich Azzopardi said it was premature to talk about a formal campaign. In a statement, he touted the former governor’s work to raise the minimum wage, toughen gun control laws and build public infrastructure.
Cuomo has sought to clear his name since he resigned, and has spent the last several years battling lawsuits from several women who have accused him of sexual harassment. A 2021 report by state Democratic Attorney General Letitia James found Cuomo harassed multiple women on his staff. Cuomo said the report was politically motivated, and prosecutors opted not to press charges based on the conduct described in the report.
The former governor has repeatedly spoken out against antisemitism since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas on Israel and this week announced he was part of a legal team that would defend Israeli officials against charges in the International Criminal Court.
He has criticized the current state of affairs in New York City, without mentioning Adams by name. Cuomo has said street homelessness has fueled a perception of disorder even as statistics show major crimes have decreased this year.
“We’re on the decline,” he said during a September speech to a Black church in Brooklyn. “Things are getting worse, quality of life is getting worse. Things are feeling out of control.”
THE QUESTION: In what year did Mario Cuomo run for mayor of New York City, and on which party line? (Andrew is Mario’s kid.)
Know the answer? Drop me a line at jimmy.vielkind@gmail.com. Or just write with thoughts, feedback or to say hi.
THE LAST ANSWER: Grover Cleveland was the last person elected to two non-consecutive terms as president.