Cuomo jumps into New York mayor's race, attempting political comeback

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced Saturday afternoon that he's entering New York City’s mayoral race, adding a big name to the already busy Democratic primary challenging Mayor Eric Adams (D). 

"Our city is in crisis. That’s why I am running to be Mayor of New York City," he wrote on social platform X, along with a video. "We need government to work. We need effective leadership."

He also included a link to his campaign website.

Cuomo’s entrance comes as little surprise after months of speculation that he would attempt a political comeback years after resigning as governor amid multiple controversies that eventually engulfed his administration. 

Cuomo appears likely to be the immediate frontrunner in the race based on recent polling conducted that includes him, Adams and the half-dozen other candidates already running for the nomination. 

One poll from December showed him with 32 percent in the first round of the city’s ranked choice voting system, while the next closest competitor only received 10 percent. Cuomo eventually reached the majority required to win in the system in the fifth round of voting. 

Another from January showed him with 43 percent in the first round with his next-closest opponent, Adams, with 13 percent. 

Cuomo's new website includes a range of policy proposals, including an increased police presence in subway stations to ensure safety, making sure that all New Yorkers have access to primary and specialty health care, closing open air drug markets and expanding access to mental health and substance abuse services, particularly for homeless people.

But the former governor may have to overcome any lingering shadows from the controversies that resulted in the end of his leadership after a decade in office. 

He was an increasingly steady presence within the Democratic Party and became a regular fixture on television for his briefings during the COVID-19 pandemic. He even was briefly floated as a possible last-minute candidate for president in 2020. 

But his administration was derailed throughout 2020 and 2021 as multiple women accused him of sexual harassment while in office. An independent investigation from state Attorney General Letitia James (D) found Cuomo had committed sexual harassment against almost a dozen women. 

Cuomo rejected the report’s findings and has always denied all allegations against him, but he resigned from office shortly after the report’s release, saying he didn’t want to distract from government functions. 

His administration also faced accusations that it intentionally undercounted the number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes. A Justice Department inspector general report, released in January during the Biden administration, found that officials during President Trump’s first term may have violated the law in targeting investigations into this matter on states with Democratic governors despite other states having more significant quality of care issues in nursing homes. 

Cuomo may still need to address questions on these issues during the campaign, but he will also be able to point to his accomplishments as governor over an extended period and have an early advantage with name recognition as a former statewide official and coming from a known political family. 

He and other candidates have a rare opening to win the nomination against an incumbent mayor this year with Adams's approval rating having plummeted in the faces of allegations of corruption dating back a decade.

He was accused of bribery and wire fraud, among other charges, in September based on accusations that he accepted bribes from businessmen and a Turkish official. His trial was set to start in April, just two months before the Democratic primary in June, but the Justice Department directed prosecutors to drop the case.

The federal judge overseeing the case delayed Adams's trial indefinitely and directed the involved parties to submit briefs in March on the legal standards and impacts of his pending ruling on whether to allow the case to be dropped.

The directive from acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove was unusual in that it did not assess the strength of the case but rather argued that it had "improperly interfered" with Adams's 2025 reelection campaign and "unduly restricted" his ability to address illegal immigration and violent crime.

The move sparked considerable backlash from career officials, leading to the resignations of multiple prosecutors over the decision, including acting U.S. attorney Danielle Sassoon.

Adams has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty, but early signs point to the end of his legal difficulties not causing a political turnaround. Polling has shown most New Yorkers disapprove of him and many don't want the charges to be dropped.

And even before Adams was indicted, his approval rating was underwater.

Despite the odds seeming to be against him, Adams has vowed to continue with his bid and run in the Democratic primary, rejecting speculation that he would run as a Republican.

Cuomo already racked up a few notable endorsements before even entering the race, including from Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), former state Comptroller Carl McCall and the Staten Island Democratic Party.

His campaign will also get help from a super PAC, which will function independently of his campaign committee, called Fix the City, made up of his allies.

In his video Saturday, Cuomo said New York City is the "greatest city in the world" and that the city can handle crisis. He referenced "anxiety" that people feel on the subway and the graffiti, migrant influx and "random violence" in the city.

"The city just feel threatening, out of control and in crisis," he added. "These conditions exist not as an act of God but rather as an act of our political leaders, or more precisely, the lack of intelligent action by many of our political leaders."

The New York Democrat also touted his past experience in public office, overseeing the New York City Homeless Commission under former Mayor David Dinkins, serving as secretary of Housing and Urban Development during the Clinton administration and serving as state attorney general and governor.

"I know government can make a positive difference - because we did. Was it easy? No. But together we achieved historic progressive accomplishments," he said. "We did things they said couldn’t be done."

Cuomo noted that his philosophy as an elected official would be to work for the people, instead of politicians or special interests. He also seemed to acknowledge some mistakes in his past time in office without specifying, saying he didn't always do everything right and would have done some things differently.

"Did I make mistakes, some painfully? Definitely, and I believe I learned from them and that I am a better person for it and I hope to show that everyday," he said. "But I promise you this, I know what needs to be done and I know how to do it, and I will give it my all to get the job done—and it will get done."

Steff Danielle Thomas contributed reporting.

Updated at 1:40 p.m. EST.