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NYC Mayor Primary: Cuomo Comeback Faces Mamdani Surge

NYC Mayor Primary: Cuomo Comeback Faces Mamdani Surge/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Andrew Cuomo attempts a political revival in New York City’s mayoral primary, challenged by progressive rising star Zohran Mamdani. The race reflects deeper Democratic Party divisions in Trump’s second term. With ranked choice voting in play, a winner may take days to emerge.

Democratic mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo, left, shakes hands with Zohran Mamdani, center, as Whitney Tilson reacts after participating in a Democratic mayoral primary debate, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool)

Cuomo vs. Mamdani: NYC Mayoral Race Tests Democrats: Quick Looks

  • Andrew Cuomo seeks political return four years after resigning as governor amid scandal
  • Progressive Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani surges with grassroots support and big-name endorsements
  • The primary unfolds under NYC’s ranked choice voting system; final results could take a week
  • The winner faces Mayor Eric Adams, now running as an independent post-indictment
  • Mamdani would be NYC’s first Indian-American and Muslim mayor if elected
  • Democratic voters face a broader choice between establishment and progressive visions
  • Mamdani’s platform includes free transit, childcare, higher wages, and taxing the rich
  • Cuomo continues to deny past misconduct, calling it a political smear campaign
Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani arrives at the NBC studios to participate in a Democratic mayoral primary debate, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool)
New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo, center, waves as he walks in the Puerto Rican Day Parade, Sunday, June 8, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

NYC Mayor Primary: Cuomo Comeback Faces Mamdani Surge

Deep Look

New York City — June 24, 2025

New York Democrats face a high-stakes decision Tuesday: restore Andrew Cuomo’s scandal-stained career or chart a new course with Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist shaking up the race for mayor.

The outcome of the city’s mayoral primary is poised to offer a barometer for the Democratic Party’s identity crisis amid Donald Trump’s second term in the White House. Will voters choose the political insider with experience and baggage, or a bold newcomer promising systemic change?

The Stakes

Four years after stepping down as governor under a cloud of sexual harassment allegations, Cuomo is hoping for redemption. Despite lingering controversy, his name recognition, campaign war chest, and political machine have made him the frontrunner—at least on paper.

Yet Mamdani’s grassroots rise has jolted the race. Once an obscure state legislator from Queens, he’s become the face of progressive activism in the city. Backed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, Mamdani has built a powerful youth-driven campaign.

His promises? Free public buses, universal childcare, massive affordable housing development, and higher minimum wages—all financed by increased taxes on New York’s wealthiest.

Ranked Choice, Real Impacts

Tuesday’s vote will unfold under the city’s ranked choice voting system. If no candidate secures a majority of first-choice votes, the rankings are tabulated starting July 1. This system has prolonged past elections, and this race may be no different.

Cuomo and Mamdani top a crowded field of candidates, many struggling to gain traction. Notables include Comptroller Brad Lander, who recently made headlines after being arrested at an immigration protest; City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams; state Sen. Zellnor Myrie; hedge funder Whitney Tilson; and ex-Comptroller Scott Stringer.

The Adams Factor

Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, previously a Democrat, is now running as an independent after a corruption indictment that was later dropped. His decision not to seek the Democratic nomination has shaken up the race, creating space for Cuomo’s return and Mamdani’s rise.

Republican Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, will also be on the November ballot.

Cuomo’s Case for Experience

Cuomo has centered his pitch on managerial competence. In debates, he’s cast Mamdani as inexperienced, pointing to the assemblyman’s lack of dealings with Congress, labor unions, or major infrastructure projects. He argues New York needs someone who can battle Trump directly.

Throughout the campaign, Cuomo has also tried to reframe his resignation, calling the investigation against him a politically motivated “hit job.” He’s now more assertive in denying the misconduct, claiming he misread evolving workplace norms, not harassed anyone intentionally.

Mamdani’s Message of Renewal

For his part, Mamdani has leaned hard into a message of integrity, reform, and generational change. In a fiery exchange with Cuomo during a televised debate, he cut through the narrative with one pointed retort:

“To Mr. Cuomo, I have never had to resign in disgrace.”

Mamdani has embraced his outsider status, energizing disillusioned voters with his unapologetic stance on issues like economic inequality and Palestinian human rights—stances that have drawn both praise and fire from establishment figures.

His campaign, visually omnipresent across social media and city streets, has been powered by a legion of young canvassers and viral messaging that’s helped him overcome his initial anonymity.

What It All Means

This race is about more than New York. It’s a test of the Democratic Party’s future direction, especially in a city that’s long served as a bellwether for national liberal movements. Will Democrats retreat to a known name amid political volatility, or gamble on a new voice offering radical reform?

With high temperatures and political tensions both rising, New Yorkers are casting votes that could reshape not only City Hall—but the national conversation about who should lead and what leadership looks like.


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