Shah J. Choudhury
New York , July 10, 2025 — New York City Mayor Eric Adams launched a sharp attack on former Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday, accusing him of dividing the anti-Mamdani coalition and jeopardizing efforts to unseat Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani in the upcoming Democratic primary.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Astoria, Adams directly addressed Cuomo’s recent involvement in the Queens race, where Cuomo has been quietly backing an independent challenger while also criticizing Mamdani’s record.
“We need to be united if we want real change,” Adams said to a cheering crowd. “Governor Cuomo knows better than anyone that splitting the vote is exactly what keeps Mamdani in power. We can’t let personal grudges ruin this moment for Queens.”
Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 amid a sexual harassment scandal, has attempted a slow political comeback in recent months by wading into local races and positioning himself as a centrist alternative to progressive Democrats like Mamdani.
Political analysts say Cuomo’s maneuvering risks fragmenting the anti-Mamdani vote in a district where the progressive incumbent remains popular with a large portion of voters.
In response to Adams’s remarks, a spokesperson for Cuomo said:
“Governor Cuomo supports candidates who put results over ideology. He will continue to speak out against failed leadership wherever he sees it.”
Zohran Mamdani, for his part, seemed unfazed by the sparring between Adams and Cuomo. His campaign released a statement saying, “Our focus remains on delivering for working families, not on backroom political games.”
With just weeks to go before the primary, the race in Astoria has become one of the most closely watched contests in New York, with national implications for the Democratic Party’s internal battles between progressives and centrists.
