Two Democratic NYC mayoral candidates endorse each other in hopes of beating Cuomo

New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a socialist, and City Comptroller Brad Lander are considered the second and third place candidates in the race so far, with Mamdani considered number two.

By Misty Severi

Published: June 13, 2025 7:15pm

Former New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's two closest challengers for New York City mayor endorsed each other on Friday in hopes of drawing enough supporters in the upcoming Democratic primary to beat the politician.

Cuomo is currently the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, but the former governor has a tough record to run on after he resigned from the governorship in 2021 amid sexual harassment claims, though he has repeatedly denied the allegations. He has also faced heavy criticism for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a socialist, and City Comptroller Brad Lander are considered the second and third place candidates in the race so far, with Mamdani considered number two, according to the Washington Examiner.

The pair released a joint statement on Friday where Mamdani claimed Cuomo represented a different era of New York City politics that belonged to the past, and were endorsing each other for the second place slot on the ranked choice ballot.

“As Brad and I exposed the ex-Governor’s record of corruption and scandal on last night’s debate stage, New Yorkers could see Cuomo for what he really is: a relic of the broken politics of the past,” Mamdani said. “His campaign has always been a house of cards, and with Brad and I cross-endorsing on the eve of early voting, we will topple it together.

"I am proud to rank our principled and progressive Comptroller #2 on my ballot because we are both fighting for a city every New Yorker can afford," he added.

Cuomo's spokesman, Rich Azzopardi, did not appear surprised by the co-endorsements, telling the Washington Examiner he did not believe it would impact the results of the primary.

The joint statement comes after former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed Cuomo earlier this week. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams is seeking reelection as an independent.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.