Adams to support former rival Cuomo against Mamdani days before election

New York City Mayor Eric Adams will support former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the city’s mayoral race as he takes on Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani.

“As a spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams, I can confirm that the mayor will support former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo for mayor and intends to campaign alongside him,” Adams spokesperson Todd Shapiro said in a statement to Fox News. “The time and location of their joint appearances are currently being finalized.”

Adams declined to answer questions about Cuomo during an unrelated news conference Thursday morning.

“On topic,” Adams told reporters at an event focused on child care affordability.

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New York Mayor Eric Adams poses with independent candidate, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, after Cuomo participated in the second debate for the upcoming mayoral election during the game between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden on October 22, 2025. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

“I’ll be with Andrew later today, but right now we’re talking about it,” the mayor added. “And if we mix the two, you won’t cover that because it’s good. So if you don’t have a topic, I’ll bounce.”

The upcoming approval was first reported by The New York Times.

In response to Adams’ expected support, Mamdani accused Cuomo of running for the current mayor’s “second term.”

“It’s no surprise to see two men who share an affinity for Trump’s corruption and capitulation align at the behest of the billionaire class and the president himself. We will turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas that these two disgraced leaders embody and build a city that all New Yorkers can afford,” Mamdani said in a statement.

Adams ended his re-election campaign last month. Despite past spats on the campaign trail, Adams and Cuomo appear to have put aside their differences as they work to stop Mamdani’s rise.

“I think it’s imperative to really wake up black and brown communities that have suffered from gentrification about the importance of this race,” Adams said in an interview with The Times.

“They’ve seen their rents go up in terms of gentrification, and they’ve been ignored in these neighborhoods, and I’m going to go to these neighborhoods and talk one-on-one with the organizers and the groups, and I’m going to walk with the governor in these neighborhoods and engage them,” he added.

Former New York Governor and New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo participates in the 2025 New York West Indies Day Parade in Brooklyn, September 1, 2025, in New York. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

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The two former rivals even sat on the court together during the New York Knicks’ season opener on Wednesday. Cuomo, fresh from the debate, said on social media that he had arrived in time for the second half and posted a photo of himself with Adams.

Cuomo, Mamdani and Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa had their last chance to make their case to voters Wednesday night as they faced off on the debate stage.

The debate took place as Sliwa and Mamdani faced external pressure. Billionaires recently called on Sliwa to step down, fearing he would split the anti-Mamdani vote with Cuomo, leading the democratic socialist to victory. Meanwhile, Mamdani has been condemned by more than 650 rabbis across the country, including those at New York City’s largest synagogues, who signed an open letter condemning Mamdani for what they view as anti-Israel rhetoric.

Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa participate in the second New York City mayoral debate at LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, Queens, New York on October 22, 2025. (Hiroko Masuike/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

During the debate, Cuomo and Sliwa emphasized New York Jews’ fears of a rise in anti-Semitism under his leadership. Mamdani hit back, saying he had heard the concerns of New York Jews and that they deserved “a leader who takes this seriously” rather than “someone who uses it as a weapon to score political points on the debate stage.”

The latest Fox News survey, conducted Oct. 10-14, ahead of last week’s first general election debate, found that Mamdani has taken a substantial lead in the race because voters view him as the best candidate to tackle the city’s major issues.

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According to the poll, Mamdani has a 21-point lead among New York City registered voters, with 49% of voters supporting Mamdani, while 28% favor Cuomo and 13% favor Sliwa. Mamdani also passed the 50% threshold among likely voters, garnering 52% support, while Cuomo got 28% and Sliwa received just 14%.

Fox News Digital has also reached out to Cuomo’s team for comment.