Cuomo’s Coup de Grace
The former governor’s comeback bid falters again.
by Benjy Sachs
Last night, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo found himself in a familiar place: conceding a race to Zohran Mamdani.
After a whirlwind campaign that captivated international attention, Cuomo’s independent bid to become New York City’s 111th mayor fell short as Mamdani surged ahead. With the vast majority of the expected vote in, Mamdani led Cuomo by about 9%.
Many viewed the mayoral race as a referendum on the Democratic Party itself, which has been in an identity crisis since the loss of Kamala Harris to President Donald Trump. Cuomo, the son of the late former Gov. Mario Cuomo, has been a stalwart of the party for decades, serving in the Clinton administration before his stint as governor. Zohran Mamdani, the young democratic socialist, offered a new template: a focus on affordability and ambitious government initiatives.
Andrew Cuomo walks through a crowd of his supporters after conceding the race to Zohran Mamdani. Credit: Benjy Sachs
Cuomo acknowledged the stakes of the election in his concession speech. “This campaign was to contest the philosophies that are shaping the Democratic party, the future of this city, and the future of this country,” he said.
If Cuomo was desperately trying to close the gap in support suggested by polling, his election day schedule didn’t show it. After voting on the Upper East Side, he did not hold any large rallies or press conferences.
At his election night watch party at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, the initially upbeat atmosphere turned terse after results started pouring in after 9 p.m. Then, after the AP called the race for Mamdani shortly after 9:30 p.m., the room fell nearly silent.
The crowd at Cuomo’s election night watch party nervously watches as Cuomo falls behind quickly following initial results. Credit: Benjy Sachs
About an hour later, Cuomo addressed his supporters, who by then had grown more agitated. Several people loudly grumbled about Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa’s decision not to drop out of the race to consolidate support for Cuomo; some chanted “shame on Sliwa.” A couple Cuomo diehards told Along the 7 that they planned to move out of the city, some to nearby Long Island, others to southern Florida.
“Congratulations to Zohran Mamdani,” said Cuomo, his voice cracking a little before mispronouncing the Democratic nominee’s last name. The crowd erupted in boos. Cuomo held up his hands in a seemingly exculpatory gesture and tried to wave away the vocal dissent.
“That is not right,” he admonished the crowd. “That is not us.” But the crowd kept jeering. Behind Cuomo, his son-in-law tried to shush the crowd.
In his speech, Cuomo gestured towards the danger of Mamdani’s victory, but he did not quite portray the apocalyptic vision he had painted in the weeks before.
Cuomo delivers a speech to supporters after conceding the race to Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. Credit: Benjy Sachs
He said his campaign was “A caution flag that we are heading down a dangerous, dangerous road,” said Cuomo. “Well, we made that point. And they heard us. And we will hold them to it.”
Cuomo finished his remarks, descended from the stage, and waded into the crowd to embrace his lingering supporters as Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” played. The joyful beat contrasted with his weary expression as he dutifully worked the room, looking like a prizefighter after a bruising loss, still trying to figure out where it all went wrong.