Silence Prevails Among Primary Endorsers of Andrew Cuomo
In the heated race for the Democratic nomination in the 2021 New York City mayoral election, former Governor Andrew Cuomo finds himself without the support of many of his previous backers. The lasting impact of multiple scandals during and after his tenure as governor, including sexual harassment allegations and criticism over his handling of COVID-19 nursing home data, has severely damaged his political standing and reputation.
Since his primary loss to Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, not one of Cuomo's previous elected backers has publicly reaffirmed their support for him in the general election. Out of the 19 Assembly members who endorsed Cuomo in the primary, only Manny De Los Santos has declared his stance, backing Mamdani.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat, Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, Assembly Member Manny De Los Santos, former Assembly member and Manhattan Democratic Party leader Keith Wright, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, the health care workers union 1199 SEIU, and the building service workers union 32BJ SEIU are among those who have endorsed Mamdani.
Bichotte Hermelyn, who abandoned Cuomo almost immediately after the primary, is confident that most elected officials in Brooklyn will endorse Mamdani by November. She stated that Cuomo has "absolutely no support" and there is "absolutely nothing" he could do to substantially rebuild it.
Keith Wright, despite endorsing Mamdani following the primary, understands the trepidation of party leaders when it comes to endorsing candidates. He stated that endorsing a candidate is a personal decision and people have to feel comfortable in terms of waiting if they endorse someone. He also mentioned that there is still time for party leaders to endorse candidates.
Assembly Member Eddie Gibbs, who has not yet declared his endorsement in the general election, is "not rushing" to endorse anyone and will let his constituents decide through a candidate forum in mid-September.
Neither Assembly Member Jordan Wright nor Erik Dilan have made their endorsement decisions yet. Both have confirmed that Cuomo has not reached out to ask for their support.
Governor Kathy Hochul, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries have not yet endorsed the Democratic nominee, leaving a significant gap in Cuomo's campaign.
The mayoral election has been marked by the controversial component of endorsements, and the former governor is not the only candidate party leaders have been reluctant to endorse. Most notably, aside from Cuomo, the Democratic nominee still lacks endorsements from Governor Hochul, Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and Rep. Jeffries.
Cuomo's spokesperson Rich Azzopardi stated that the governor has been meeting voters in various parts of the city during the last few weeks. Despite the lack of endorsements, Cuomo remains active in his campaign efforts.
[1] New York Times: Cuomo's Downfall [2] Politico: Cuomo's Endorsements Dwindle [3] CNBC: Cuomo's Political Isolation [4] The Hill: Cuomo's Mayoral Bid Falters
- Migration of support from Cuomo to his primary rival, Mamdani, has intensified due to the impact of multiple scandals, war-and-conflicts within the Democratic party, and changes in policy-and-legislation concerning endorsements.
- General news outlets, such as the New York Times, Politico, CNBC, and The Hill, continue to report on the dwindling number of endorsements for Cuomo, highlighting the critical role politics plays in the 2021 New York City mayoral election.
