‘All or nothing’: Andrew Cuomo jokes about moving to Florida if he loses NYC Mayor poll

Cuomo says he is still running for New York City mayor, telling reporters, “The fight to save our city isn’t over.” But Fox News reports he may leave the race if polling numbers don’t improve by mid-September.

Cuomo made the remarks while addressing questions about his future in the race. “Only 13 per cent of New Yorkers voted in the June primary. The general election is in November, and I am in it to win it. My opponent, Mr Mamdani, offers slogans but no real solutions,” he said.

Despite the statement, Fox News reports that Cuomo has not yet committed to running a full general election campaign through the summer and autumn. According to sources cited by the Fox News, Cuomo has said privately that if polling by mid-September does not show him as Mamdani’s top challenger, he will likely step aside.

Cuomo is running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist. Mamdani has proposed a city-wide rent freeze and the creation of government-run grocery stores policies that Cuomo and his allies have criticised as unrealistic.

Cuomo’s critics have questioned his decision to remain in politics after resigning as governor in 2021 amid multiple misconduct allegations. The race for mayor also includes current Mayor Eric Adams, running as an independent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

Cuomo also criticised Mayor Eric Adams, who is also running as an independent. “We haven’t had a competent mayor since Bloomberg,” Cuomo said, according to Fox News. He added that Adams had been distracted by investigations and controversies.

Adams responded to the comment in an interview with the New York Post, “If he’s serious about moving to Florida, he should go ahead. He’s already spent three weekends in the Hamptons.”

Cuomo has repeatedly dismissed Mamdani as inexperienced. During a recent event, he referred to the 33-year-old as “the kid” and described his campaign as “unrealistic bumper sticker slogans.” He also called Mamdani’s rent freeze plan a “death sentence” for housing in the city.

Mamdani, who represents Queens in the state assembly, has aligned himself with national progressive figures, including Senator Bernie Sanders. His platform includes expanding tenant protections, investing in public housing, and creating publicly run alternatives to private grocery chains.

Mamdani’s campaign has not responded to multiple requests for comment, Fox News said.

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