Ex-New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is staying in the competition to be the next mayor of New York City. 

Despite a lackluster showing in his party’s June primary, Cuomo, whose governorship fell apart in 2021 following several reports of sexual misconduct, asserts that he will continue in the 2025 race. Uganda-born Zohran Mamdani, a socialist currently serving Queens in the New York State Assembly, has won the Democratic Party’s nomination for the 2025 NYC mayoral election, prompting Cuomo, similar to current Mayor Eric Adams, to campaign as an independent. 

A prominent figure in the Democratic Party amid COVID-19, Cuomo secured only 36% of the initial vote. Although he performed poorly last month, Cuomo stays hopeful regarding his prospects in the fall.

"The fight to save our city isn’t over,” Cuomo declared. “Only 13% of New Yorkers voted in the June primary. The general election is in November, and I am in it to win it.”

In addition to Mamdani, Adams, and Cuomo, the November 4 election will feature the longstanding Republican contender Curtis Sliwa, who is the founder and CEO of the Guardian Angels. The conservative activist and radio host received under 28% of the vote in 2021. 

Cuomo's Chances 

Although no licensed sportsbook can accept bets on the NYC mayoral election, Kalshi, an online peer-to-peer betting platform, assigns Cuomo a 15% probability of securing victory in November. Mamdani is the strong favorite with implied odds of 73%. Adams stands at 13%. Sliwa is offered only a 2% chance. 

PredictIt, a comparable exchange, places Cuomo's odds at 14% and Mamdani's at 74%. Adams is at 13% in that regard as well. Sliwa is at three percent. 

Cuomo and Adams each face challenges regarding their public image. Though Cuomo insists he never assaulted a female staff member, he has admitted that he recognizes his “interactions may have been insensitive or too personal” and that some of his “remarks, considering my role [as governor], caused others to feel in ways I never intended.” 

Last September, Adams was charged federally with bribery, fraud, and soliciting unlawful foreign campaign contributions. The case was dismissed by the Justice Department in February. 

Cuomo, Adams Divide Vote? 

Cuomo's continued participation in the 2025 NYC mayoral race could be unwelcome for those opposed to Mamdani's election. Prominent figures dedicated to preventing Mamdani from becoming mayor of New York City include billionaires Bill Ackman, co-founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, and Barry Diller, a director of MGM Resorts International who oversees IAC and Expedia Group. 

Mamdani is a strongly debated candidate within the two-party political establishment. A member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani advocates for city-run grocery stores, raising the minimum wage to $30 per hour, offering universal health care, and building 200,000 new affordable housing units. His initiative offers free public buses, funded entirely by individuals earning $1 million or more each year. 

If Adams and Cuomo remain in the race, they might divide the anti-Mamdani vote and effectively secure the rising political star's pathway to the mayor's office. Mamdani has the backing of US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), known as AOC.