Weeks after suspending his independent mayoral campaign, Jim Walden formally endorsed Andrew Cuomo on Thursday and urged all remaining candidates besides Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdani to also line up behind the ex-governor.
In a statement, Walden — a lawyer who launched a long-shot bid but never pulled more than 1% support in polls of November’s mayoral election — stressed his endorsement of Cuomo is in large part aimed at stopping Mamdani, a democratic socialist.
A political moderate, Walden argued Mamdani can only win the November contest “if centrist votes are split” between Cuomo, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and Mayor Adams, who’s also running as an independent. Cuomo has consistently polled as the most potent threat to Mamdani.
“Uniting in support of one candidate, Andrew Cuomo, is the only way to save New York from extremism, and prevent the city from becoming a cautionary tale for the entire country,” said Walden, who’s known for representing high-profile clients. “Mayor Adams and Curtis Sliwa have run spirited campaigns. They have earned respect. But the time has come. For the love of this city, they must step aside.”
Spokesmen for Sliwa and Mamdani didn’t immediately return requests for comment.
A spokesman for Adams, who has consistently placed last in the polls, rejected Walden’s request for the mayor to bow out of the race.
“Mayor Adams is focused on protecting families, strengthening our communities, and ensuring New York remains a city of opportunity and safety for everyone,” said Adams’ spokesman Todd Shapiro. “That is the choice voters will make, and that is why Mayor Adams will prevail.”
Because the deadline has passed to remove them, Walden and all the other remaining candidates will still have their names appear on November’s ballot, no matter what.
Walden offered some praise for Cuomo, saying he has the capacity to enact “real solutions, grounded in experience, not the empty promises of an inexperienced Zohran Mamdani.”
Cuomo, who resigned as governor in 2021 amid sexual and professional misconduct accusations that he now denies, thanked Walden for putting “the future of New York ahead of personal ambition.”
“Jim has always been a fighter for accountability and justice in this city, and his endorsement is a testament to the urgency of this election and the need for experienced leadership to keep New York safe, affordable, and strong for future generations,” Cuomo said in a statement.
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