New York City Mayor Eric Adams formally endorsed former Governor Andrew Cuomo at a press conference in Harlem on Thursday, marking a dramatic political shift as the two former rivals joined forces against Democratic frontrunner Zohran Mamdani.
In endorsing Cuomo, Adams warned that various communities - including immigrants and Black residents - are “under attack” in the city, and sharply criticized Mamdani’s past defense of the slogan “Globalize the intifada.”
“When you tell Jewish residents that you need ‘globalize intifada,’ you’re saying you don’t care,” Adams said.
Adams also condemned Islamic extremism, distinguishing it from Islam itself. “You see what’s playing out in other countries because of Islamic extremism. Not Muslims - let’s not mix this up - but those Islamic extremists that are burning churches in Nigeria, that are destroying communities in Germany, that have taken over the logical thinkings, and that’s what I’m fighting for,” he said.
He went on to call Mamdani “a snake oil salesman that has sold us a bill of goods” and “the king of the gentrifiers.”
Cuomo, speaking at the same event, questioned Mamdani’s Democratic credentials. “Democrats do not propose antisemitic policies. Democrats have stood with Israel always as an ally. That’s what Democrats do,” he said.
“Democrats are also uniters, not dividers, and there’s been too much division from Zohran’s campaign. You’ve seen it with the Jewish community,” Cuomo added.
Mamdani has faced heavy criticism due to his anti-Israel stance, which included his failure to condemn the phrase "globalize the intifada" and his criticism of Israel on October 8, 2023 - just one day after the Hamas massacre in southern Israel.
He also recently declared that he would stop using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’s working definition of antisemitism.
In addition, Mamdani has repeatedly accused Israel of war crimes in its battle against Hamas in Gaza, and has vowed to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York City, citing the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued against Netanyahu - even though the US is not a member of the ICC.
Adams recently withdrew from the race, amid reports that he had been pressured by the White House to do so in a move intended to clear the path for Cuomo to defeat Mamdani.
Following Adams’ withdrawal, several Jewish organizations threw their support behind Cuomo’s election campaign.