"Here is Andrew Cuomo's exquisite dilemma as the mayor's race careers toward its conclusion: New York is a Democratic town, one where Republicans are outnumbered six-to-one by their Democratic counterparts. It is also a city in which Cuomo is not the Democratic nominee but Zohran Mamdani is, even though Cuomo has one of the most famous names in the party and some of Mamdani's left-of-the-left politics has caused some party leaders to keep their distance."
"But ever since the primary, Cuomo has been dogged by allegations from Mamdani that he is something of a secret Republican plant conspiring with Donald Trump to snatch the victory that eluded him in June. So any efforts Cuomo makes to move Republican voters away from Curtis Sliwa, the GOP nominee currently polling in a distant third place, risk alienating the much larger group of Democrats whose loathing of Trump is their political North Star and whom Cuomo absolutely needs to win."
"Normally at this point in the election cycle, candidates reach out across the aisle to broaden their coalition. Mamdani is doing that with his regular meetings with business groups. Four years ago, Eric Adams had already received the endorsement of a handful of Republican lawmakers and donors and was courting Mike Bloomberg, the last citywide elected official to have won on the Republican line."
New York City is overwhelmingly Democratic, but the Democratic nominee is Zohran Mamdani while Andrew Cuomo is running as an independent. Mamdani's left-of-the-left politics have made some party leaders cautious, giving Cuomo an opening to attract Democrats uncomfortable with Mamdani and to consolidate Republicans and independents fearful of Mamdani's agenda. Cuomo faces allegations from Mamdani that he is secretly aligned with Republicans and Donald Trump, complicating outreach to Republican voters without alienating anti-Trump Democrats. Cuomo is trying to marginalize Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and make the race a two-person contest, while avoiding an active 'Republicans for Cuomo' coalition. The Cuomo campaign hopes Republican support will grow organically.
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