Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, a veteran lawmaker who was once the highest-ranking Black member of Congress, endorsed former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in New York Citys Democratic mayoral primary on Friday.
Mr. Clyburn made the case that Mr. Cuomo was the right candidate to help Democrats fend off the ill effects of President Trumps second term, when Mr. Trump is challenging the pillars of our democracy.
The mayor of New York is uniquely positioned to play an important role in the future of the national Democratic Party, Mr. Clyburn said in a statement, adding that Mr. Cuomo had the experiences, credentials and character to not just serve New York, but also help save the nation.
The endorsement came three days after Mr. Cuomos main rival, Zohran Mamdani, was endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the longtime standard-bearer of the Democratic Partys progressive wing. Mr. Cuomo and Mr. Mamdani have led in polls, and the tenor of the race has become increasingly nasty leading into Primary Day on Tuesday.
Mr. Sanders has also placed the race in a national context, arguing that Mr. Mamdani represents a break from corporate-dominated politics driven by billionaires.
Mr. Clyburn rarely takes sides in primaries, but he did so in a 2021 congressional race in Ohio to help defeat an acolyte of Mr. Sanders. He also provided crucial support to Joseph R. Biden Jr. in his victory over Mr. Sanders in the 2020 presidential primary.
The congressmans endorsement could help Mr. Cuomo with turnout among Black voters, a key bloc in the former governors coalition. It also signals that Mr. Cuomo is aligned with Mr. Clyburns moderate vision for the party, rather than Mr. Sanderss, and that establishment Democrats like Mr. Clyburn have moved on from the sexual harassment scandal that prompted Mr. Cuomo to resign as governor in 2021.
Mr. Clyburn said Mr. Cuomo had fought for communities of color as housing secretary in President Bill Clintons administration and had demonstrated an uncanny ability to make real progress as governor. Mr. Cuomo said in a statement that Mr. Clyburn had always been on the right side of history and prioritized results over performative politics.
Mr. Clyburns voice will be featured in so-called robocalls to voters, according to a person familiar with the Cuomo campaigns plans. In one message, he says Mr. Cuomo will stand up to Mr. Trump and urges New Yorkers to vote early this weekend because it could be 100 degrees on Tuesday.
Pack it up folks, it's over.
Also this should show the more naive among us that Clyburn will always endorse against socialist candidates (unless they're incumbents), regardless of how crappy the moderate candidate is. The Clyburn apologists were always weird.
Cuomo as always is a brazen liar, though, claiming Clyburn's always been on the right side of history. Dude gave us a nominee who couldn't make it the full two terms, over a ton of Dem. options from the 2020 primary who are still fresh as a whistle. Just like how now he's giving NYC a sexual predator for mayor over tons of clean Dem. options. Because his endorsements are about consolidating power, not candidate quality.