Eric Adams Endorses Cuomo To Stop Socialist Mamdani

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, after a bitter public split with former Governor Andrew Cuomo, announced Thursday that he will endorse Cuomo in the upcoming mayoral election. This move marks a full reconciliation between Adams and Cuomo, who just weeks ago were trading harsh insults as Adams dropped out of the race.

Adams made clear his endorsement is a strategic effort to block Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic socialist nominee. Sitting courtside at the Knicks season opener alongside Cuomo, Adams pledged to campaign in neighborhoods where Cuomo is strong, aiming to mobilize “black and brown communities” disproportionately hurt by gentrification and economic pressures.

“I think it is imperative to really wake up the black and brown communities,” Adams said, emphasizing the rising rents and displacement they face. His endorsement underscores the moderate establishment’s alarm over Mamdani’s hard-left platform, which includes defunding police units and expansive social reforms that Adams views as radical.

Adams and Cuomo share overlapping bases — notably black voters and ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities — and a pro-police, pro-business stance that contrasts sharply with Mamdani’s.

Cuomo has already benefited from Adams’ exit, climbing 10 points in the polls, but Mamdani still holds a substantial lead citywide. The new AARP/Gotham poll shows Mamdani with 43.2% support to Cuomo’s 28.9% and Republican Curtis Sliwa’s 19.4%. However, the race tightens considerably among older voters — the most reliable voting bloc — many of whom remain undecided.

A striking feature of this race is the divide between native and foreign-born New Yorkers. Mamdani enjoys overwhelming support among foreign-born voters, holding 62% in recent Patriot Polling surveys, compared to Cuomo’s 24%. Among native-born New Yorkers, Cuomo leads with 40%, while Mamdani trails at 31%.

This split highlights the growing political clout of immigrant communities in New York City and their alignment with Mamdani’s democratic socialist message. Meanwhile, Cuomo’s strength among native-born voters and older demographics signals a city divided by age, origin, and ideology.

With early voting starting imminently and nearly half of voters 50 and older still undecided, the race remains open for Cuomo to charge into the lead.