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Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s camp rejected claims from “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that he is only seeking the mayorship to improve his chances of being president.
Cuomo – along with struggling incumbent Eric Adams – is viewed as one of the moderates in this year’s crowded ranked-choice race for the nation’s largest city, and he’s currently leading the field.
Ocasio-Cortez, by contrast, is backing upstart socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani – currently a state assemblyman from Astoria – and trying to prevent the New York Democratic scion from returning to politics.
“I have no idea where the far left got this silly new talking point,” Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi told Fox News Digital on Monday.
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“But, the governor has said that – death aside – he’ll be finishing his own term.”
While Cuomo has said he plans to be a national figure if elected mayor, he has not directly expressed intent to succeed President Donald Trump in 2028.
Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, said at a recent Mamdani event that Cuomo supposedly did make “clear he wants to run” for president.
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She also bemoaned the “gerontocracy” – an apparent reference to aging politicians, which, as of late, has been more of a feature of the Democratic Party – and said it is “unconscionable” to send the 67-year-old to Gracie Mansion.
Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, has made waves on the far left with a bold progressive platform. His proposals include “city-owned grocery stores,” establishing a rent freeze, free public transit, and a $30 minimum wage. He’s widely seen as a top-tier candidate alongside Cuomo.
The typically liberal New York Times editorial board, however, warned against ranking Mamdani on the ballot, saying that while he is running a “joyful campaign” with a “fresh political style which many people are hungry for during the angry era of President Trump,” the socialist’s agenda is “uniquely unsuited to the city’s challenges.”
As of Monday, several Cuomo challengers cross-endorsed each other – as voters select a pecking order of preferred candidates on a ranked-choice ballot – which drew a literal “yawn” from the governor’s camp.
Former New York State Assemb. Michael Blake, D-Bronx, Comptroller Bradford Lander and Mamdani all did so, hoping their voters would select the other two as ranking candidates.
“Blake is at zero percent in the polls, so you can quote me yawning,” Azzopardi said.
The Republican in the race, Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, is largely unopposed on the right flank of the ranked-choice system.
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