In the 10 days since announcing he would pursue an independent bid for New York City mayor, Cuomo has acknowledged the mistakes that led to his stunning Democratic primary loss to state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. And he is trying to prove he can turn the race around before November by rebooting his campaign.
Cuomo is trying to demonstrate that hes going to be a different candidate as he hopes to keep donors on board and appeal to Democrats and independents who might be uncomfortable with backing Mamdani, a democratic socialist.
Some of his changes are easy to spot. Others are subtler.
Cuomo was hard to find in the primary, often dodging reporters who wanted to ask about the sexual harassment allegations and complaints about his handling of Covid-19 that preceded his resignation as governor.
Now, hes doing on one-on-one interviews with the citys press corps at traditional campaign spots like subway stations. Hes also sitting for podcast interviews where hes explaining what he thinks he did wrong in the primary.
Long known for his brash style, short temper and bullying tactics, Cuomo said he had adopted a softer approach during the primary campaign that did not work.
So much for being nice, thats what I say, Cuomo told Stephen A. Smith during a recent podcast interview.
Cuomo said hell bring back more of his old style. Perhaps most importantly, he said, hell call out what he describes as unrealistic ideas from Mamdani, who has proposed freezing hikes on rent-controlled apartments, opening city-run grocery stores and making public buses free.
Those slick slogans that sound good everything free. Free buses, free education, free food, everything free. BS, everything is free? If it sounds too good to be true, it isnt. Cuomo told Smith.
Andrew Cuomos pathetic attempts to rebrand cant mask his decades of corruption and backroom deals with Republicans and billionaires, that voters overwhelmingly rejected in June, Mamdani spokesperson Jeffrey Lerner said in a statement. Andrew Cuomo can try (and fail) to copy Zohrans style but he cant match the substance of a new vision that makes this city truly affordable.
Mamdani is on the Democratic line but hes a socialist. Im on the independent line but I am a Democrat. The politics nowadays are topsy-turvy; thats what were seeing in this election, Cuomo said on Smiths podcast.
It will be an uphill battle given the citys overwhelming number of Democratic voter registrations and Mamdanis popularity among young New Yorkers who were central to his candidacy.
Despite having a significant share of the establishment support that has started to line up behind Mamdani, Cuomo is now dismissing that same establishment as reactionary.
A lot of the voters are knee-jerk; I vote for the Democrat. A lot of the Democratic institutions, the unions, etc., they just knee-jerk go with the Democrat, Cuomo told Smith.
Cuomo previously tried to present himself as the only leader who could protect the city during President Donald Trumps second term in office.
Now, as he looks to November and trying to draw conservatives to his independent bid, that message appears to be in the back seat. Instead, Cuomo has focused his attacks on incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, describing him as unelectable, and on Mamdani, casting his potential mayoralty as a time that will ruin New York.
It would be devastating to New York City, and it would take a decade to recover, Cuomo told Smith.