Democrat Suozzi endorses Cuomo over party’s NYC mayor nominee Mamdani
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On the eve of the New York City mayoral race, a Democrat broke ranks with his council leadership to voice reservations about Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani.
Rep. Tom Suozzi (DY) broke ties with Assembly Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (DY) on Wednesday, saying he will support independent candidate and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo ran as an independent after failing to receive the Democratic nomination earlier this year.
“I’m a Democratic Capitalist, not a Democratic Socialist. I support Andrew Cuomo,” Suozzi wrote in a post to X. he said. “I cannot support a self-proclaimed socialist with a weak resume to run the most complex city in America.”
MAJOR NEW YORK NEWSPAPER SUPPORTS ANDREW CUOMO OVER ‘CALLS AND MOUTH’ MAMDANI
Rep. Tom Suozzi, DY, speaks during the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony for the “Harlem Hellfighters” of World War I on Capitol Hill in Washington on September 3, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty)
“We need leaders who will fight crime, who won’t weaken the police. They’ll create jobs, they won’t hurt the economy. They’ll keep taxes low, they won’t make it more expensive for middle-class families to live here.”
Suozzi, a moderate from New York with a successful track record of reaching across the aisle, is no stranger to opposing the party. So far in the 119th Congress, 12 percent have voted against the Democratic consensus.
Suozzi’s support comes at a time when many senior figures in the Democratic Party are waiting until the last minute to clarify where they stand on Mamdani’s candidacy. It is noteworthy that although he has the support of Jeffries, he has not yet received any pledge of support from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, DY.
In response to Suozzi’s endorsement, Cuomo praised the Democratic lawmaker.
“I am grateful to have the support of Congressman Tom Suozzi as we enter the early voting process. I have known Tom for many years; he is smart, results-oriented, and a true public servant who serves the people he represents. His level-headed leadership is exactly what New York needs, and I look forward to partnering with him to make our city safer, stronger, and more livable,” Cuomo said. wrote.
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After dodging the question for months, Jeffries finally endorsed Mamdani last week but did not answer whether Schumer should do the same.
“I made a statement last Friday regarding the mayor’s race. That statement speaks for itself,” Jeffries said at a news conference Tuesday.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on October 3, 2025. (Graeme Sloan/Getty)
In his endorsement, Jeffries said he supported the overall goals Mamdani laid out in his platform.
“I deeply respect the will of the primary voters and the young people who inspire them to participate in the electoral process,” Jeffries said in his endorsement. he said. “Zohran Mamdani has been relentlessly focused on solving the affordability crisis.”
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Mamdani, 34, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, shocked viewers in June when she captured the Democratic nomination for mayor above 10 other candidates. Among other controversial policy positions, Mamdani advocated raising taxes to expand government social programs, reassessing U.S. relations with Israel, and freezing rents in New York City.
Since she won the nomination, Democrats in Congress have repeatedly dodged questions about whether they would support Mamdani.
New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani accepts an endorsement at United Bodegas of America in the Bronx, New York City on October 29, 2025. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
Besides Jeffries, only a handful of Democrats in party leadership positions supported Mamdani. Gov. Kathy Hochul and state House speaker Carl Heastie also weighed in on his candidacy.
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With less than a week until Election Day on November 4, Mamdani holds a convincing lead over Cuomo. There is 43 percent support among likely voters, according to Mamdani recently published findings by Quinnipiac University. According to the poll, Trump leads Cuomo, who received 33 percent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, who received 14 percent.
