New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday formally endorsed former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to succeed him as the city’s next mayor, less than one month after Adams suspended his own re-election campaign, as reported by Fox News.
The endorsement came one day after the final mayoral debate, where Cuomo, running as an Independent, faced off against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
“I’m fighting for the family of New York,” Adams said during the endorsement announcement.
“That’s why I’m here today, to endorse Andrew Cuomo, to be part of this fight, and I’m going to give him my all these next few days to make sure that Black and Brown communities, specifically, who have believed there’s nothing at stake in this election for them — it is.”
“Am I angry that I’m not the one taking down Zohran, the socialist and the communist?” Adams added, referencing President Donald Trump’s label for Mamdani. “You’re darn right I am. But, you know what, the city means more to me than anything, and it is time for us as a family to come together.”
Mamdani quickly criticized the endorsement, saying it reflected “politics as usual.” “Today confirms what we’ve long known: Andrew Cuomo is running for Eric Adams’ second term,” Mamdani said in a statement.
“It’s no surprise to see two men who share an affinity for corruption and Trump capitulation align themselves at the behest of the billionaire class and the president himself. We are going to turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas that these two disgraced executives embody.”
At a campaign stop in Manhattan, Mamdani repeated his remarks, calling the alliance between Adams and Cuomo “the art of the deal” and accusing them of turning “City Hall into an embassy of that same administration.”
Adams, who has aligned closely with President Trump since taking office in November, has visited both Mar-a-Lago and the White House. Earlier this year, Trump’s Justice Department dismissed bribery, wire fraud, and conspiracy charges against Adams.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, previously considered removing Adams from office following multiple City Hall resignations. She has since endorsed Mamdani’s campaign, though Mamdani has not endorsed Hochul’s re-election effort.
Cuomo praised Adams for setting aside his campaign ambitions to focus on preventing a Mamdani victory. “The mayor put his own personal ambition and ego aside to make sure he’s doing everything he can to make sure that New York remains New York,” Cuomo said Thursday.
The Fox News poll conducted October 10–14 showed Mamdani with a commanding lead in the race, backed by 49% of registered voters compared to 28% for Cuomo and 13% for Sliwa. Among likely voters, Mamdani reached 52%, Cuomo 28%, and Sliwa 14%.
Pressure has increased on Sliwa to drop out, with several business leaders — including Red Apple Media CEO John Catsimatidis and hedge fund executive Bill Ackman — urging him to withdraw to prevent splitting the anti-Mamdani vote.
Despite their past clashes, Adams and Cuomo now present a united front, with Adams emphasizing that defeating Mamdani takes precedence over personal differences.
“He called me names,” Adams said of Cuomo. “But you know what? Now it’s time to fight for the family, and I’m going to fight for the family with Andrew Cuomo as the next mayor of the city of New York.”
