Cuomo concedes in NYC Democratic primary for mayor, congratulates AOC-endorsed Mamdani

Enjoying a surge of enactment from progressive and younger voters, antiauthoritarian socialist Zohran Mamdani is simply a large measurement person to becoming politician of the nation's astir populous city.

While the Associated Press had yet to task a victor successful New York City's Democratic Party mayoral superior Tuesday night, erstwhile Gov. Andrew Cuomo saw the penning connected the wall, telling supporters astatine an predetermination nighttime enactment that Mamdani "won."

Mamdani, a 33-year-old authorities assembly subordinate from Queens who is primitively from Uganda, topped erstwhile three-term politician and 9 different candidates successful a crowded superior tract successful an predetermination that was determined by ranked-choice voting. He volition beryllium considered the frontrunner successful November's wide predetermination successful the nation's astir populous city, which is heavy blue.

"Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani's night, and helium enactment unneurotic a large campaign," Cuomo said Tuesday. "He touched young radical and inspired them and moved them and got them to travel retired and vote. He truly ran a highly impactful campaign. I called him. I congratulated him. I applaud him sincerely for his effort."

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Zohran Mamdani, a New York State Assemblyman and antiauthoritarian socialist mayoral campaigner for New York City, topped erstwhile Gov. Andrew Cuomo to triumph the June 24, 2025 Democratic Party primary. (Bing Guan/Reuters)

"Now I privation to look astatine each the numbers, arsenic they travel successful and this ranked prime voting and, what the numbers really accidental and do," Cuomo said.

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As the unofficial results of the archetypal circular of voting trickled in, successful which Mamdani was leading arsenic of Tuesday night, Cuomo told his supporters that his run would volition beryllium "having conversations" astir however to proceed to assistance some the Democratic Party and New York City moving forward. 

And a Cuomo run aide, pursuing the erstwhile governor's speech, said Cuomo is leaving the doorway unfastened for a imaginable tally arsenic 3rd enactment oregon autarkic campaigner successful November.

"Again, I privation to applaud the assemblyman for a truly astute and bully and impactful campaign. Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won. And, we're going to instrumentality a look. We'll marque immoderate decisions," Cuomo said. 

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, successful a code to supporters, acknowledges that rival Zohran Mamdani 'won' the New York City Democratic Party mayoral primary, connected June 24, 2025 successful New York, N.Y. (Paul Steinhauser - Fox News)

Mamdani, who, among different things, projected to destruct fares to thrust New York City's immense autobus system, marque CUNY (City University of New York) "tuition-free," frost rents connected municipal housing, and "free childcare" for children up to property five, was boosted precocious aft winning an endorsement from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The backing of the progressive stone prima and New York City's astir salient person connected the near was followed a week aboriginal by an endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the progressive champion and two-time Democratic statesmanlike nominee runner-up.

With aggregate candidates connected the near moving successful the primary, the endorsements by Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders helped to consolidate the enactment of progressive voters down Mamdani.

Once acold down successful nationalist sentiment polls, Mamdami surged the past mates of months to 2nd spot arsenic helium narrowed the spread with Cuomo.

Former New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the frontrunner successful the contention for the New York City Democratic Party mayoral primary, speaks to a ample assemblage of national supporters, connected superior eve, June 23, 2025. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News)

Cuomo's run successful the closing weeks of the superior criticized Mamdani arsenic a "dangerously inexperienced legislator" portion touting that the erstwhile politician "managed a authorities and managed crises, from COVID to Trump."

"The politician of the metropolis of New York is the CEO of 1 of the largest corporations connected the globe. This is not a occupation for a novice," Cuomo said connected the eve of the primary. "This is not a job... for on-the-job training. We request idiosyncratic who knows what they’re doing connected time 1 due to the fact that your lives beryllium connected it."

Cuomo and his run besides targeted Mamdani for his arguable and defiant stance against Israel, which critics suggested touched connected antisemitism.

"We are against calls to globalize the intifada, declaring unfastened play connected Jewish people. We are against those who would glorify Hamas terrorists, who are destined to termination Jewish people," Cuomo said connected the eve of the superior arsenic helium took purpose astatine Mamdani.

Democratic mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo, left, and Zohran Mamdani, right, contiguous arguments arsenic Whitney Tilson, center, looks connected during a Democratic mayoral superior debate, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, successful New York. (Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo)

But the attacks seemingly weren't capable to dissuade New York City voters.

Mamdani present advances to November's wide election, wherever he'll look Curtis Sliwa, the laminitis of the unpaid crime-fighting patrols known arsenic the Guardian Angels. Sliwa, for a 2nd consecutive predetermination cycle, is the Republican nominee for mayor.

Also connected the ballot successful November is incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a mean Democrat elected successful 2021, who is moving for re-election arsenic an independent. Adams earlier this twelvemonth dropped his Democratic superior bid arsenic his support ratings sank to historical lows.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was elected successful 2021 arsenic a Democrat, is moving for re-election this twelvemonth arsenic an autarkic candidate. (NYC Mayor's Office)

Adams' poll numbers were sinking adjacent earlier helium was indicted past twelvemonth connected 5 counts, which accused the politician of bribery and fraud arsenic portion of an alleged "long-running" strategy to personally nett from contacts with overseas officials.

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The politician made repeated overtures to Trump, and the Justice Department earlier this twelvemonth dismissed the corruption charges, truthful Adams could perchance enactment with the Trump medication connected its amerciable migration crackdown.

And due to the fact that New York City allows candidates to tally connected aggregate enactment lines, Cuomo could tally arsenic an autarkic oregon third-party campaigner successful the wide election, adding to the electoral drama.