The fast-approaching race for New York City Mayor is coming in November, and polls show Andrew Cuomo, FCRH ’79, former NY governor who stepped down due to sexual assault accusations, is leading. New Yorkers seemingly look to the disgraced former governor as a replacement for Mayor Eric Adams, but he seems no different from Adams at all. In a sea of candidates, New York City flocks to the one they know, even if that means voting for Andrew Cuomo.
This mayoral race has been particularly interesting, coming soon after Mayor Adams’s indictment last September. While Adams is still seeking reelection, his approval rating is the lowest in nearly 30 years with only 20% approval.
In the crowded race, many Democratic Party candidates are fighting to win their primary in June. Cuomo and opponent state senator Zellnor Myrie, FCRH ’08 and GSAS ’13, are both Fordham alumni. Along with the Fordham alumni, there are 10 other candidates also in the running. What sets them apart is their funding. Many of the candidates were able to qualify for match funding which doubled their donations and could make or break how long they are able to stay in the race. Many of the lesser-known candidates, who are expected to soon be weeded out of the competition, have millions less than their opponents.
The candidates represent a variety of positions within the Democratic Party, from the super moderate to the far left. Zohran Mamdani is the most progressive candidate in the race as a democratic socialist who is popular on social media. While progressive ideas have seemingly lost favor in the Democratic Party, in the Trump era, as many Democrats are adopting centrist policies, Mamdani is standing his ground and actively campaigning to younger and underrepresented voters, recently visiting the Muslim American Society Bronx Muslim Center. Only about 12% of Muslims voted in the last mayoral election.
According to the New York Times, “The Working Families Party will also endorse a slate of progressive candidates and is encouraging voters to ‘D.R.E.A.M.’ — Don’t Rank Eric or Andrew for Mayor. Several candidates, including Mr. Mamdani, support the idea.”
This will be the second mayoral election with ranked choice voting and ideas like D.R.E.A.M. as a result. NYC’s progressives want anyone who is not Cuomo or Adams, and it brings the idea that candidates could work together to take down bigger enemies.
Cuomo released a 17-minute-long campaign video in his announcement of joining the race. In it, Cuomo highlights his achievements as governor while making no mention of his disgraced exit from his position. Like many mayoral candidates who have come before him, he vows to be tough on crime and promises to put more police officers on the street. His campaign seems eerily similar to Adams’ in 2021. He has the most name recognition out of all the candidates, and clearly New Yorkers are dissatisfied with Adams. Cuomo also boasts a large campaign budget, including overflow from his gubernatorial campaign.
At this point, he is a clear front-runner in the race, but it’s disappointing to see. In his campaign video, he focuses on NYC’s past and how the government was apparently more efficient back then, but his focus on the past fails to paint a picture of NYC’s future. Cuomo’s main issue with the city is crime, as was Adam’s, but the solutions he offers seem tired and mediocre. Cuomo’s video also describes what a “true progressive government” is, taking a jab at NYC’s progressives. While Cuomo seems likely to win and has seemingly nothing to fear, jabs like this show a deep-seated fear of progressives and what NYC could be under them. In elections like these, the importance of voting is clear, and while it seems NYC may be doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past, it doesn’t have to.
Jessica Ritter, FCRH ’25, is an English and film and television double major from Huntington, N.Y.
