Andrew Cuomo might be about to upend the NYC mayor’s race

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo could upend New York City’s mayoral race if he chooses to challenge Mayor Eric Adams in the Democratic primary, according to recent polls.

A spokesperson for Cuomo declined to comment when reached by Newsweek.

Why It Matters

New York’s mayoral race will be one of the most consequential elections of 2025 as Democrats try to win back voters who shifted toward Republicans in last year’s election like Hispanic, Asian American and young voters.

New York, one of the states that had the largest rightward shifts in 2024, will be among the first tests for Democrats’ message to those voters. Issues like crime, inflation and immigration have been attributed to voters rejecting Democrats last year and will likely be among the most salient for voters ahead of this year’s election.

Whoever prevails will still be favored in the general election. Despite Republicans making inroads in New York City last year, it’s still a reliably Democratic city. But the victor will be tasked with solving challenges pertaining to public safety, which have been a snag for Democrats across the country who have sought to combat the notion they are soft on crime, giving the election a level of national importance.

What to Know

Cuomo hasn’t made his candidacy official but is speculated to be a potential challenger for Adams, who is already facing several Democratic rivals in the primary.

A new poll from the group Progressives for Democracy in America reported by Politico showed Cuomo as the favorite to win if he runs with support from 32 percent of likely voters.

Meanwhile, 10 percent would back former New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, 8 percent would vote for Comptroller Brad Lander, 7 percent would vote for state Senator Jessica Ramas and 6 percent each would vote for Adams and state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, according to the survey.

It was conducted among 800 likely voters by Hart Research Associates.

It’s the second recent poll to find wide support for Cuomo. A New York Times and Siena College poll from October showed him with 21 percent support. Only Attorney General Letitia James, who has also not said if she plans to run in the mayoral race, received more support at 22 percent.

That poll showed Adams at 11 percent, public advocate Jumaane Williams at 6 percent support, Lander at 5 percent, Ramos and Stringer at 2 percent each and state senator Zellnor Myrie at less than one percent.

As the state’s former governor, Cuomo would bring a high level of name recognition, and potential fundraising connections, to the race. Adam is considered vulnerable after he was hit with bribery and wire fraud charges last year, though he has pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Cuomo resigned as governor in 2021 after a report from James’ office alleged that he sexually harassed multiple female employees and created a toxic working environment, allegations Cuomo has denied.

Prior to that scandal, he generally saw strong approval ratings and easily won reelection in 2018. But he would likely face pushback from more progressive Democrats who have generally been critical of him if he chooses to run.

What People Are Saying

Mayor Adams, to Politico: “People who are running — they’re going to have to take claim for the stuff that they did when they were holding office. Who was there for the original bail reform? Who signed some of these procedures? You’re going to have to answer these questions.”

Cuomo Spokesperson Rich Azzopardi to CNN: “A lot of people have come to him saying the city is in crisis and it needs to be fixed, and they think he’s the guy to do it because of his track record.”

Zephyr Teachout, a professor at Fordham Law School specializing in white collar crime and campaign finance law who ran against Cuomo in 2014, previously to Newsweek: “He had corruption scandal after corruption scandal, and I think people are going to be really looking for somebody who can just do the job.”

What Happens Next

The primary is set to be held on June 24, 2025, and candidates are expected to spend the next several months making their pitch to voters about why they should lead the country’s largest city.