Bloomberg Talks: Andrew Cuomo Says This Will Be a Two-Person Race

Date: September 25, 2025
Host: David Gura, Bloomberg
Guest: Andrew Cuomo (Former Governor of New York)

Episode Overview

This episode of Bloomberg Talks features a candid conversation between host David Gura and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo about the evolving landscape of New York City's mayoral race. Cuomo asserts that the campaign will soon become a two-person contest, sharply contrasting his own centrist Democratic stance against the progressive platform of his main rival, Zoran Mamdani. The discussion delves into polling interpretations, political strategy, ideological divides within the Democratic Party, and personal reflections drawn from Cuomo’s own family history in New York City politics.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Current State of the Mayoral Race

• Polling and the Multi-Candidate Field
  • Cuomo believes current polling is misleading due to the still-crowded field.
  • “What you see in the polls is mum army is always at about 40%. That leaves 60%. As you accurately pointed out, you have a multi candidate field. So four people or three people are breaking up that 60%.” (Andrew Cuomo, 00:52)
  • He anticipates the field will “collapse,” leaving a binary choice — likely between himself and Zoran Mamdani.

2. Why Cuomo Believes It Will Be a Two-Person Race

• Inevitability of Voter Consolidation

  • As the race progresses, Cuomo expects voters to coalesce around the candidates perceived as viable.
  • “I think the field is going to collapse. I think it's going to come down to me versus Mr. Mamdani ... and then it is a totally different race.” (Cuomo, 01:13)
  • He challenges the accuracy of current polls, citing historical unreliability, especially in New York.

• View on Other Candidates

  • When asked if he's persuading Eric Adams or Republican Curtis Sliwa to withdraw, Cuomo denies any active campaigning to that effect.
  • “They have a decision to make. There is no apparent path to victory for them. They in essence would act as a spoiler. And that's a decision they have to make.” (Cuomo, 03:31)

3. Cuomo’s Critique of Zoran Mamdani and the “Democratic Socialists”

• Sharp Ideological Divide

  • Cuomo calls Mamdani’s platform “radical” and accuses him of being anti-police, pro-legalization of prostitution and drugs, and in favor of abolishing jails.
  • “You know, he's anti police. Disband the police, legalize prostitution, legalize the drug trade, abolish jails. You know, this would be anarchy in New York.” (Cuomo, 02:38)

• Democratic Party Identity Crisis

  • Cuomo frames the race as a battle for the soul of the Democratic Party — moderates vs. the far left.
  • “This is a civil war within the Democratic Party, right, where the extreme left is pulling the Democratic Party and the moderates are afraid of the extreme left.” (Cuomo, 07:20)

• Business and Governance Experience

  • Cuomo argues Mamdani lacks relevant management experience.
  • “He has zero experience in the position, never managed anything, five employees, never had a real job. … Now he's going to run 300,000 employees, $115 billion budget.” (Cuomo, 08:29)

4. Denial of Allegations about Attempts to Pay Off Curtis Sliwa

• Curtis Sliwa’s Claim

  • Sliwa alleged Cuomo offered him $10 million to drop out, calling it “classic Andrew Cuomo tactics.”
  • “Why don't you strap up Cuomo to a lie detection machine ... because he's behind it.” (Sliwa, quoted by Gura, 04:38)

• Cuomo’s Response

  • Cuomo dismisses the allegation as baseless and notes Sliwa never provided evidence.
  • “Look, you can't. You have to take Sleepwa with a grain of salt. Is a known con man. He's lied about being victims of crime before. … Who offered you the money? He never said who was. Sort of tells you, right, that it's, it's. There was no person who did it.” (Cuomo, 05:08)

5. Reflections on Family History and Democratic Party Values

• Policymaking Principles Rooted in Family Legacy

  • Cuomo reflects on his father’s 1977 mayoral campaign, situating his entry into the race within a tradition of Democratic values.
  • “My father was an extraordinary individual on many levels. Highly principled, frankly atypical for a politician. And he did, quote, unquote, the right thing, whatever he thought the right thing was.” (Cuomo, 06:41)

• Defining “True” Democratic Ideals

  • He draws a sharp distinction between his version of Democrat values and those espoused by the DSA.
  • “The Democratic Party is not anti business, it's not anti police. That's not who we are. We're not about redistributing income as a policy. Right. You tax to provide a service. You don't tax to take money from the rich to give it to the poor.” (Cuomo, 08:07)
  • “That's why Donald Trump calls him a communist. So this is not the Democratic Party that I believe I represent and traditionally has served this nation well.” (Cuomo, 08:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Nature of the Contest:
  “I think it's going to come down to a two person race no matter what, because that's what the polls are going to say and that is the choice. I am a Democrat. My father was a Democrat. I worked for Bill Clinton. Zoran is a socialist. They call himself Democratic Socialists.”
  — Andrew Cuomo, 03:31

• On the Civil War Within the Democratic Party:
  “This is a civil war within the Democratic Party, right, where the extreme left is pulling the Democratic Party and the moderates are afraid of the extreme left. It's the inverse of the Republican Party when they had the Tea Party … That's what's happening here. It's a battle for the soul of the Democratic Party.”
  — Andrew Cuomo, 07:20

• On Sliwa’s Payoff Allegation:
  “When he said that someone should have said who who offered you the money? Let him answer the question. Because it would happen to be a crime.”
  — Andrew Cuomo, 05:08

• On Governing Experience:
  “No management experience, ran five people. Now he's going to run 300,000 employees, $115 billion budget. You wake up any morning, you could have a terrorist attack, you could have another Covid. It just demeans government and demeans public service in a way that I just find abhorrent.”
  — Andrew Cuomo, 08:29

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:52] Cuomo sets up his expectations for the race narrowing to two main candidates
• [02:38] Cuomo critiques Mamdani’s platform and ideology
• [03:31] On not pressuring other candidates to exit and calling out the two-party battle
• [04:38] Sliwa’s payoff allegation and Cuomo’s emphatic denial
• [06:41] Cuomo reflects on his father’s campaign and Democratic Party values
• [08:07] Cuomo draws line between moderate Democrats and DSA
• [08:29] Cuomo on why governing requires substantial real-world experience

Conclusion

Andrew Cuomo frames the upcoming phase of New York City’s mayoral race as a fundamental, urgent choice for Democrats: centrist tradition versus radical change. He is adamant the crowded field is an illusion that will give way to a classic two-candidate contest, with issues of policing, business, and the party’s identity at the forefront. The episode provides a rich perspective on internal Democratic dynamics and Cuomo’s own motivations and campaign philosophy as the race intensifies.