Mike Bloomberg has officially endorsed Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, arguing that the former governor has the right credentials to lead the city through its challenges.
“I care deeply about the future of our city, and since leaving office, it has been difficult to watch its struggles, especially since the pandemic,” the three-term former mayor said Tuesday.
“In sizing up the field in the race for mayor, there is one candidate whose management experience and government know-how stand above the others: Andrew Cuomo.”
Bloomberg acknowledged that he and Cuomo didn’t always see eye to eye during their respective times in office, but emphasized that Cuomo’s leadership qualities are what the city needs most right now.
“But I also know his strengths as a leader and manager. Of all the candidates, Andrew has the skills our city needs to lead us forward,” Bloomberg said.
Although he didn’t name any other candidates, sources familiar with Bloomberg’s thinking said he has serious concerns about Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, particularly his anti-capitalist views and hostile stance toward Israel.
Bloomberg praised Cuomo’s record on major infrastructure projects, pointing to completed initiatives like the revamp of LaGuardia Airport, the long-awaited Second Avenue Subway, and the development of Moynihan Station.
“He has decades of experience navigating state and federal governments. He has governed as a pragmatist, focused on solving problems rather than engaging in ideological or partisan warfare,” Bloomberg said of Cuomo.
“The question before New Yorkers is not: Who is the perfect choice? No mayor is perfect. The question is: Who is the best choice? To me, that choice is clear: Andrew Cuomo.”
The endorsement follows a wave of financial backing for Cuomo from Bloomberg’s inner circle.
One such ally, Ed Skyler—a former deputy mayor under Bloomberg who now holds a top position at Citigroup—donated $400, the legal maximum for city-connected employees. He reportedly told a colleague that he would’ve remained neutral if not for polling showing Mamdani gaining ground ahead of the June 24 primary.
A poll by the progressive think tank Data for Progress commissioned by Mamdani supporters showed Cuomo holding just a 51% to 49% lead—within the poll’s 3-point margin of error.
Meanwhile, an internal Cuomo campaign survey released Monday showed him leading Mamdani by 12 points under ranked-choice voting rules.
“Ultimately elections are about choices and there is no question New York City will be stronger and safer with a competent leader like Andrew instead of someone with a far-left agenda and no experience governing,” Skyler told a colleague.
Skyler, once a Republican who later became an independent, had briefly considered running for mayor himself but opted not to after Cuomo announced his candidacy.
As a former deputy mayor of operations, Skyler is especially concerned with public safety and revitalizing the city’s economy.
According to a source close to him, Skyler was stunned upon learning that Mamdani had called for a boycott of the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island due to its partnership with Israel’s Technion University—a project Bloomberg had championed to boost tech growth in the city.
Mamdani, a pro-Palestinian advocate and state Assembly member from Queens, supports the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement against Israel and is openly critical of the Jewish state.
Skyler’s endorsement adds to a growing list of Bloomberg confidants rallying behind Cuomo.
Last month, Bloomberg’s daughter, Emma Bloomberg, gave Cuomo the maximum allowed donation of $2,100 to support his political comeback.
Other longtime Bloomberg allies have chipped in as well. Kevin Sheekey, Bloomberg’s top strategist and president of his 2020 presidential campaign, made a contribution. Thomas Secunda, a billionaire co-founder of Bloomberg LP, gave $40,000 to the pro-Cuomo super PAC “Fix the City.”
{Matzav.com}