After supporting Andrew Cuomo’s failed campaign in June’s Democratic mayoral primary, ex-Gov. David Paterson endorsed Eric Adams’ independent bid for reelection Wednesday, praising the incumbent as “courageous and outspoken.”
“There have been some pitfalls, there have been some times when perhaps he would have done things a little differently, but the mark of an individual who really deserves the position that he wants to continue after Election Day this fall is that they recognize that and that they’re able to make the necessary changes,” Paterson said, a reference to the legal and ethical controversies that have hung over Adams’ first term.
Still, Paterson wouldn’t call on Cuomo — who’s also running as an independent in November’s mayoral election — to drop out of the race.
“I am not suggesting that a person that has raised a lot of money, has put his blood, sweat and tears into the race and wants to continue the race — I could not look that person in the eye and tell them to get out,” Paterson, appearing alongside Adams at City Hall, said when asked if Cuomo should step out of the race.
Patterson held a press conference last month to urge New York’s business and civic communities to coalesce behind one candidate in order to optimize the chances of beating Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, the favorite to win November’s contest.
Asked why he’s now backing off his inital request, Paterson told the Daily News: “None of the candidates seemed particularly interested, so I consider the issue to be moot.”
Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi declined to comment.
The biggest obstacle anti-Mamdani forces face is that Adams and Cuomo are likely to split the more moderate Democratic vote, potentially benefitting Mamdani, whose large progressive base carried him to victory in the primary.
In addition to Cuomo, Adams and Mamdani, Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa and independent Jim Walden are also on November’s ballot.
Most polls of November’s mayoral election are predicting Cuomo has the best shot at beating Mamdani. Adams, who’s suffering historically low approval ratings as he continues to face political fallout from his corruption indictment, has placed fourth in several polls, behind Sliwa.
Nonetheless, Paterson, who served as governor between 2008 and 2010, argued Adams is best suited to challenge Mamdani because of his “scorecard.”
“You can keep a scorecard on what he gets done and what he hasn’t gotten done, and the score card is incredible,” he said.