New York City Mayor Eric Adams might be in trouble – not just because of his current legal problems, but also electorally. If speculation about former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is accurate, Adams might be facing a formidable primary challenger in the upcoming election.
There are indications that Cuomo is planning to run against Adams in the next election, according to a CNN report.
At the end of September, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo quietly switched his voter registration address to an apartment on East 54th Street in Manhattan. It marked the first time he’d lived in New York City – officially – in decades.
By December, he was ramping up conversations with local political officials and a select group of influential community leaders, hinting at plans to run for mayor in the June primary.
What if, Cuomo mused, Eric Adams – who currently holds the job but is now facing an April trial date on federal corruption charges – resigned or opted out of running for reelection?
He’s been telling donors and other influential political figures that if he gets in, he’s going to win, and they’ve got to get behind him.
Cuomo resigned as governor in 2021 amid criticism of his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and allegations of sexual harassment. Yet, over a dozen people close to him told CNN it is a “certainty” that Cuomo will throw his hat into the ring to become New York City’s next mayor.
The former governor is “lining up campaign aides and pollsters, in part with the help of a former top adviser who beat him out the door of the governor’s mansion more than three years ago after deciding she could no longer defend him against the flood of sexual misconduct accusations that ultimately forced him out of office,” according to CNN.
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The report suggests that Cuomo might be holding off on trying to oust Adams because he is also considering trying to get his gubernatorial seat back from current Gov. Kathy Hochul, who replaced him after he resigned.
Cuomo’s spokesman, Rich Azzopardi, told the outlet that the former governor “just hasn’t decided yet” and that “it’s whether or not he wants to commit the time and the energy.”
Of course, there is also the Trump factor.
But another Queens native is also shaping the race: President-elect Trump. The two have not spoken, but Cuomo has carefully observed his trajectory. People who have spoken with Cuomo say he thinks voters could be convinced to welcome him back, too — in the character of a tough guy who can set things right in a city wobbling with unease over public safety, an affordability crisis and post-pandemic trauma.
Some around Cuomo think New Yorkers will also be looking for a tough guy to take on Trump, with aides floating the prospect of mass deportations targeted at Democratic cities.
If Cuomo decides to run for mayor, he might have a favorable chance of winning. A recent poll conducted in December showed that he is leading the field among potential candidates.
The well-known Cuomo topped the candidates with 32 percent when likely Democratic voters were asked to choose a favorite candidate in what will be a ranked-choice election. Following him were former city Comptroller Scott Stringer at 10 percent; his successor Brad Lander at 8 percent; state Sen. Jessica Ramos at 7 percent; and Adams and state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani at 6 percent.
Given the controversy surrounding Mayor Adams and the fact that America’s attention span is shorter than Danny Devito, Cuomo could actually pull this off if he decides to run.
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