NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – The Staten Island Democratic Party made its endorsement for mayor on Friday: former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who hasn’t officially entered the race despite widespread speculation he will.
The party’s executive committee voted to endorse the former governor and called on him to enter the growing field of candidates vying for Mayor Eric Adams’ job.
“We made this decision in light of recent news that our current mayor sought the nomination of multiple Republican chairs, cut a deal that prioritized himself over 8 million New Yorkers, and essentially handed the keys to New York City to the President,” said party chair Laura LoBianco Sword in a statement. “This is an affront, and enough is enough.”
Sword went on to say, “We believe Andrew Cuomo is the only proven leader with the track record of results and resolve to both navigate attacks from Washington and properly address the issues of corruption and deteriorating quality of life that our city faces today.”
Sword listed a number of ways that Cuomo “delivered for Staten Island in times of crisis,” including during the aftermath of Sandy and at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also credited him with preserving toll discounts, building a HOV lane to the Battery Tunnel, increasing Verrazzano Bridge lanes, and building a new Goethals Bridge.
“Andrew Cuomo understands Staten Island” Sword said, calling him “a builder with a vision for a better New York” who can “successfully fight back against damaging assaults from Washington.”
A poll last month found Cuomo would “dominate” the 2025 mayoral race if he chose to run and is the top choice among Democratic voters across every race, age, gender and borough. Cuomo resigned in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations that he has denied.
Staten Island voted overwhelmingly in 2021 for the Republican mayoral candidate, Curtis Sliwa, who got 65% of the vote there. The Staten Island Republican Party endorsed Sliwa in the 2025 race this week.
The endorsement by Staten Island Democrats followed reports Thursday that Adams had privately discussed changing his party affiliation to run in the Republican primary in June, including with Bronx Republican Party chairman Mike Rendino. In response to the reports, Adams said, “I am not running as a Republican.”
The embattled mayor—who was elected as a moderate Democrat but was a registered Republican decades ago—has been battling for his political future in recent months. He was indicted on corruption charges in September before the Department of Justice directed federal prosecutors in Manhattan to drop the case earlier this month. On Thursday, the interim U.S. attorney for Manhattan resigned, alleging a “quid pro quo” between Adams and the Trump administration. That led to some calls for Adams’ resignation on Friday.