This year’s New York City mayoral race is off to a slimy start as supporters of former Governor Andrew Cuomo resort to dirty tricks to push voters into giving the disgraced leader a second chance.
Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 after allegations of sexual harassment and mounting political pressure, could throw his hat in the ring as early as this weekend. Ahead of that likely announcement, Cuomo’s team is laying the groundwork, racking up endorsements from black, Orthodox Jewish, and union leaders.
Tusk Strategies Pushes Pro-Cuomo Shock Poll
Also part of these efforts is a new shock “poll” by the pro-Cuomo consulting firm Tusk Strategies, aimed at portraying the three-term governor as the only sensible candidate who can save the city.
That poll — fed as an exclusive to the right-wing, Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post — claims that Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, comes in second among likely Democratic voters with 12 percent of the vote.
However, a poll earlier this month by the more credible Emerson College found Mamdani at the bottom of the pack with just 1 percent support.
Cuomo has consistently led in NYC mayoral race polls since last year — though with a plurality in a packed race that will be decided by ranked choice.
Tusk Strategies’ pro-Cuomo push comes as its CEO, Chris Coffey, works behind the scenes to garner support for the former governor from Orthodox Jewish and business leaders, POLITICO reports.
Coffey’s connections to Cuomo are well known. His own bio describes him as “an informal advisor to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 2018 election efforts” and an advisor to “Rep. Ritchie Torres” — who recently endorsed the former governor, despite calling for his impeachment in 2021.
The New York Post has also endorsed Torres’ undeclared gubernatorial bid.
It’s worth noting that Mamdani is Muslim and a supporter of Palestinian rights. One thing to watch is how far the Cuomo campaign will go in playing the anti-Muslim card — and whether it will impact the city’s hundreds of thousands of Muslim voters.
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