Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he can’t name a single living member of the Democratic Party he admires, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.
A lifelong Democrat, Cuomo lost the party’s primary in July to New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani by nearly 13 points, and is now running as an independent candidate. The former governor trails the self-described socialist by more than 20 points, according to recent polling.
“Admire? None comes to mind,” Cuomo told the NYT, when asked to name three elected officials whom he holds in high esteem or considers ideologically aligned with himself.
“The Democratic Party is not meeting the moment,” Cuomo added. “I think the Democratic Party has created the moment.”
Pressed further, the former New York governor conceded that Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois is “doing a good job as a manager of his state” while adding that California Gov. Gavin Newsom was “doing the best he can,” according to the outlet.
Mamdani has secured the backing of prominent liberals, including fellow New Yorker Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Most recently, he received the endorsement of Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, though Cuomo dismissed its significance, according to the NYT.
“Everybody makes a political decision on a political endorsement and what works for their politics, and that’s obviously her decision,” he said. “I don’t think endorsements mean that much in campaigns anymore in general.”
The former governor has attacked his socialist opponent’s “anti-business, anti-corporate” stances, telling Fox News in August, “If there’s one city where you can’t have a socialist mayor, it’s New York City.” The two have also clashed over Israel, with Cuomo voicing strong support for the Jewish state while Mamdani, who is Muslim, has said he will not condemn the term “globalize the intifada,” widely viewed as a call to violence against Jews.
Cuomo governed New York from 2011 until August 2021, when he resigned following multiple sexual harassment accusations, which he has denied. Cuomo’s administration also came under fire for severely underreporting nursing home deaths after forcing these facilities to admit COVID-19 patients.
None of the candidates has signaled plans to drop out of the race. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 4.
Of likely New York City voters, 46% said they would support Mamdani, 24% support Cuomo, 15% back Republican Curtis Sliwa and just 9% say they would vote for incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll released Sept. 9.
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