Eric Adams Endorses Cuomo in Last-Ditch Bid to Stop Socialist Takeover of NYC

New York City Mayor Eric Adams is putting aside personal grievances in a bold attempt to stop what he calls a dangerous left-wing takeover of City Hall. On Thursday, Adams officially endorsed former Governor Andrew Cuomo for mayor, signaling a dramatic political about-face just weeks after the two were trading public barbs.

The endorsement is a calculated strike aimed directly at Zohran Mamdani, the socialist Democrat who leads the mayoral race and whose radical platform — including proposals to defund key NYPD units and implement sweeping social programs — has alarmed moderates and working-class voters across the city.

Adams and Cuomo Unite Courtside

Adams and Cuomo made a public display of unity by sitting courtside together at the Knicks season opener at Madison Square Garden, where the mayor told reporters he was ready to get boots on the ground.

“I think it is imperative to really wake up the black and brown communities,” Adams said. He highlighted rising rents, surging crime, and neighborhood displacement as the real threats facing working-class families — not Mamdani’s idealistic reforms.

Moderate Coalition Against the Socialist Left

The endorsement cements a powerful alliance between two political heavyweights who, despite recent tensions, share a common voter base. Both Adams and Cuomo command strong support from black communities, Orthodox Jewish blocs, and older native-born voters — the very groups Mamdani has struggled to win over.

Cuomo’s campaign, which was floundering just a month ago, received a shot in the arm after Adams dropped out. With the mayor now actively stumping for him, the former governor’s chances have surged, especially in areas like Southeast Queens, the Bronx, and parts of Brooklyn.

Polls Show City Split by Ideology, Age, and Background

Despite the endorsement, Mamdani still leads citywide with 43.2%, according to the latest AARP/Gotham poll. Cuomo trails with 28.9%, and Republican Curtis Sliwa holds 19.4%. But the numbers look very different among the city’s most reliable voters: those over 50.

Nearly half of voters aged 50+ remain undecided, and that’s exactly the group Adams is targeting with Cuomo. If they break late, the math favors a Cuomo comeback.

Meanwhile, the race reveals sharp divides across New York’s demographic lines:

• Foreign-born voters: Mamdani dominates with 62% support, signaling strong immigrant support for his socialist agenda.

• Native-born voters: Cuomo leads with 40%, compared to Mamdani’s 31%.

• Older voters: Still up for grabs, representing the swing bloc that could decide the election.

Sliwa Stands Firm

On the right, Republican Curtis Sliwa is refusing to bow out, rejecting calls to unite behind Cuomo in order to stop Mamdani. Sliwa insists he is the only candidate who can “restore safety, affordability, and common sense.”

High Stakes, Few Days Left

With early voting set to begin, Adams’ endorsement marks the clearest sign yet that the Democratic establishment sees Mamdani’s rise as an existential threat. The once-unthinkable Adams-Cuomo alliance is now the centrist firewall against a socialist takeover.

But with Mamdani’s foreign-born and youth-driven base fired up, and undecided older voters now in play, the final stretch of this race could reshape the future of New York City — and determine which vision of the city prevails.