Andrew Cuomo Launches Third-Party Bid for NYC Mayor After Primary Loss

Andrew Cuomo is officially back in the race for New York City mayor, announcing Monday that he will run as a third-party candidate after losing the Democratic primary to Zohran Mamdani.

Cuomo, the former New York governor, confirmed his decision with a video posted on his social media channels. In it, he’s seen walking through Manhattan, shaking hands, and taking selfies with voters.

“Every day, I’m going to be hitting the streets, meeting you where you are to hear the good and the bad, problems and solutions, because for the next few months, it’s my responsibility to earn your vote,” Cuomo said.

His decision sets up a rare multi-party contest in the November general election, creating a split among opponents of Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist whose campaign energized younger progressive voters but sparked concerns among establishment Democrats.

Mamdani dismissed Cuomo’s re-entry into the race. “While Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams trip over themselves to make deals in back rooms with billionaires, we are focused on fighting for working New Yorkers,” Mamdani said Monday, joined by members of the city’s American Federation of Musicians Local 802.

Adams, who is also running as an independent, criticized Cuomo’s decision to stay in the race, noting his primary loss by 13 points despite spending $25 million on his campaign.

“Andrew is a double-digit loser in the primary,” Adams said. “New Yorkers heard his message, and he didn’t sell it.”

Cuomo will run under the “Fight and Deliver” party. His campaign sources say he’s planning to ask other candidates to consider dropping out in September if polling shows a clear front-runner. Adams has already rejected that idea.

During his concession speech, Cuomo admitted that Mamdani had done a better job connecting with the city’s youngest voters. In Monday’s video, Cuomo seemed to acknowledge past mistakes but promised to continue.

“Thank you for believing in me, in my agenda and in my experience, and I am truly sorry that I let you down,” Cuomo said. “But as my grandfather used to say, when you get knocked down, learn the lesson and pick yourself back up and get in the game, and that is what I’m going to do.”

Also in the race is Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

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