Mayor Adams said Wednesday he’s in talks with Andrew Cuomo about potentially endorsing the ex-governor’s comeback attempt.
“I am in conversation with Andrew,” Adams said on the “Reset Talk Show.”
Adams dropped his reelection bid last month amid poor polling numbers and approval ratings, but his endorsement may still carry sway with voters as the sitting mayor. As recently as last month, Adams called the ex-governor a “snake and a liar” — so even considering an endorsement marks a significant shift.
“I need to make sure, if I say to New Yorkers, this is who I endorse, I need to make sure that they are not going to be harmful to the city that I love so much,” he said. “And so when our times comes, I’ll make an announcement.”
Adams also made clear Wednesday that front-runner Zohran Mamdani’s affiliation with the Democratic Socialists of America is a “nonstarter” for him as the mayor spoke out against the dangers of “far-left radicalization of our young people.”
“When you look at the DSA policies that Zohran said he’s fully embraced, it’s problematic for working-class people in this city, and so I can’t see myself endorsing him,” Adams said, calling out in particular Mamdani’s support for closing Rikers Island and sponsorship of a bill to decriminalize prostitution.
Adams also noted that Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, whom he has long dismissed as an unserious candidate, is also in the race. A spokesman for Sliwa said there had been no communications between the candidate and Adams as of Tuesday evening.
“Please, do me a favor: Don’t endorse me,” Sliwa said on NY1 earlier this month, holding up his hands. ” … I don’t want to be attached to the cronies, whether it is Eric Adams or in the case of the former governor, Andrew Cuomo.”
A spokesman for Cuomo did not immediately respond to requests for comment about Adams’ remarks Wednesday, but at a press conference Tuesday Cuomo said he’d accept an endorsement from Adams. At the time, he said he hadn’t had direct contact with him.
“Obviously, you want as much support as you can gather,” Cuomo said.
Adams’ longtime adviser and former campaign chief Frank Carone has been urging Adams behind the scenes to endorse Cuomo, the Daily News previously reported. Carone said shortly after the mayor dropped out of the race on Sept. 28 that he planned to work to help get Cuomo elected. Cuomo said that Carone has no “official role” on his campaign.
Even without an endorsement, recent polling shows much of Adams’ base has likely migrated to Cuomo. A Quinnipiac University poll showed Cuomo jumping 10 points in the polls after Adams’ exit from the race. The two candidates share a moderate base. In that poll, Sliwa received 15% of voters.
Adams’ name will appear on the November ballot as he withdrew from the race too late to have it removed.
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