Cuomo keeps ballot spot in NYC mayor race, leaving door open for general election comeback

Andrew Cuomo will remain on the ballot in November’s New York City mayoral election, despite conceding the Democratic primary to progressive challenger Zohran Mamdani earlier this week, sources have confirmed to CNN.

Cuomo, the former governor of New York, does not plan to remove himself by the Friday deadline to withdraw, leaving his “Fight & Deliver” ballot line active for the general election. While he has yet to commit to an active campaign in the months ahead, Cuomo’s decision preserves his path for a potential political comeback.

The move comes just days after Cuomo conceded the Democratic primary to Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who surged in support with a bold platform centred on housing affordability, including a citywide rent freeze and publicly run grocery stores. Mamdani’s social media-heavy campaign galvanised younger and progressive voters, helping him leapfrog both Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams in the first round of ranked-choice voting. Final tabulations are expected next week.

Speaking to CNN’s OutFront, Mamdani downplayed Cuomo’s continued presence in the race. “Ultimately, Andrew’s decision and my decision matter less than the decision voters already made on Tuesday night,” he said. When asked about facing Cuomo again, he added confidently, “We did it once, and it turned out pretty well.”

Cuomo’s allies argue the general election electorate will differ significantly from the Democratic primary base. They believe Mamdani’s platform will draw harsher scrutiny in a broader contest, and that moderate voters disenchanted with Adams or sceptical of Mamdani’s policies could view Cuomo as a centrist alternative.

The general election is expected to be a crowded affair. Mayor Eric Adams, who opted out of the Democratic primary, is running as an independent while also contending with a federal bribery indictment that the Trump administration recently dropped. Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa is also standing, hoping to consolidate the conservative vote.

Notably, leading Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Governor Kathy Hochul, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have all praised Mamdani since his primary win, but none have endorsed him. Meanwhile, two House Democrats from vulnerable New York suburban districts publicly criticised Mamdani after the primary, expressing concern over his left-wing platform. Republicans have already begun using his victory to attack national Democrats.

Cuomo’s continued presence on the ballot evokes echoes of his 2002 campaign, when he withdrew from the gubernatorial primary but remained on the general election ballot as the Liberal Party’s candidate. He did not actively campaign then, and may choose a similar path again.

“There’s no clock ticking,” one source close to Cuomo told CNN, indicating that the former governor has no immediate deadline for launching or formally shelving a general election campaign.

Cuomo had been the early frontrunner in the mayoral race, but his prospects diminished following public backlash over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and lingering anger over sexual harassment allegations, which he has consistently denied. The scandal led to his resignation in 2021 and fuelled progressive enthusiasm behind Mamdani’s bid.

For now, Cuomo’s campaign machinery remains largely dormant, but the infrastructure remains intact. He could re-activate it quickly if he chooses to re-enter the race in earnest.

Whether Cuomo will ultimately mount a serious comeback effort or simply hold his ballot line as a spoiler remains to be seen. But his decision to stay on the ballot ensures that the November mayoral race will remain fiercely unpredictable—and possibly historic.