Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has publicly criticized Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani during a recent interview on Fox News, accusing him of holding ‘anti-business, anti-corporate’ policies that would be detrimental to New York City. Cuomo, who is currently running for mayor, argued that Mamdani’s platform is fundamentally incompatible with the city’s economic needs and that his appeal will ‘drop dramatically’ as voters become more informed.
The debate comes amid a significant lead for Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race, with recent polls showing him at 44% in the Siena College Poll, while Cuomo trails at 25%. Although Cuomo did not indicate plans to withdraw from the race, his comments have drawn mixed reactions, with some, like Mayor Eric Adams, criticizing him for putting ‘dangerous laws on the books’ that have impacted public policies such as cannabis reform and bail reform.
As the mayoral election heats up, Cuomo has also framed his candidacy as being more aligned with Republicans and Independents, emphasizing his commitment to law and order and capitalism, in contrast to Mamdani’s socialist views. Despite his public stance, Cuomo has ruled out seeking President Donald Trump’s support, citing a lack of expected involvement from Trump in the race. The political tensions are further complicated by the ongoing Justice Department investigation into Cuomo’s role during the pandemic, which has resulted in allegations of misleading Congress over nursing home fatalities.