New York City Mayor Eric Adams stunned the political world Thursday by endorsing Andrew Cuomo in the city’s upcoming mayoral election, a dramatic twist that unites two fierce rivals against Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani.
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Cuomo at a rally in Harlem, Adams fired off a fiery speech accusing Mamdani of being part of what he called a radical movement threatening the city’s values.
“Am I angry I’m not the one taking down Zohran, the socialist and communist? You’re darn right I am,” Adams declared, according to AP’s report. “We’re fighting against a snake-oil salesman.”
The show of support came as a surprise given Adams’ own history with Cuomo. The mayor had once branded the former governor “a snake and a liar” before abruptly exiting the race last month. He brushed off the apparent contradiction Thursday, saying, “Brothers fight. But when families are attacked, brothers come together.”
Cuomo, who has spent weeks painting Mamdani as an extremist and linking his criticism of Israel to antisemitism, appeared energized by the endorsement. Adams added his own controversial commentary, warning against what he described as “European-style problems” linked to “Islamic extremism.”
“New York can’t be Europe, folks,” he said. “I don’t know what is wrong with people. You see what’s playing out in other countries because of Islamic extremism.”
Adams stopped short of explaining how his comments related to Mamdani, who, if elected, would be New York’s first Muslim mayor. Cuomo thanked him for the endorsement, praising the mayor as “a real Democrat and a real New Yorker.”
Whether the endorsement will change the trajectory of the race remains uncertain. Adams’ political standing has been weakened by a recent federal corruption probe, which was dropped after an unprecedented intervention from the Trump administration.
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Cuomo, meanwhile, is fighting to rally moderate Democrats and right-leaning voters as he trails Mamdani in polls. The 34-year-old state assemblymember and democratic socialist stunned political observers in June when he defeated Cuomo in the primary.
In a statement responding to the endorsement, Mamdani blasted both men: “Andrew Cuomo is running for Eric Adams’ second term. It’s no surprise to see two men who share an affinity for corruption and Trump capitulation align themselves at the behest of the billionaire class and the president himself.”
Cuomo’s campaign has been further complicated by Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, who has refused repeated calls from Cuomo’s camp to step aside. The former Guardian Angels founder has siphoned off support from conservative voters Cuomo needs to win.
The endorsement also caps a dramatic reconciliation between Adams and Cuomo, who had traded insults just weeks earlier. Adams once accused Cuomo of “making a career of pushing Black candidates out of races,” while Cuomo had dismissed the mayor’s tenure as “a never-ending series of government corruption.”
Their newfound alliance first sparked speculation on Wednesday night when the two were seen sitting courtside together at Madison Square Garden following the final mayoral debate. By Thursday, the rumors were reality, and New York’s political scene was once again in turmoil.
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