Andrew Cuomo Says This Will Be a Two-Person Race

Summary

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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)

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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.

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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)

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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

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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

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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.

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Transcript

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[Bloomberg Audio Studios Announcer]

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[David Gura]

News we're going to get out to a conversation now with former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on the State of New York City's mayoral race and he is speaking to Bloomberg's David Gura.

I came up 25 points to you. Of course it's a four candidate race. How do you see the path forward here given the polling and sort of where things stand? I should note that the polling hasn't changed a tremendous amount in recent weeks.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Yeah, it will change dramatically. 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%. I don't think you're going to wind up ultimately with that larger field. I think the field is going to collapse. I think it's going to come down to me versus Mr. Mamdani and as I said, Mamdani has 40%. He has his very radical ideas which are exciting to one group of the population, especially young people, but a polarizing to many other people. And I think it's going to come down to a one on one and then it is a totally different race.

[David Gura]

David Curtis Lee with a Republican candidate says he's not dropping out. The incumbent Mayor Eric Adams says he's not dropping out. We've passed the ballot deadline. If we were to have a race where it's you against Zoran Mandani, polls still show him leading you by by a substantial amount. What do you see in the electorate that the data aren't showing when it comes to that particular configuration?

[Interviewer/Moderator]

Ye.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Well, polls are historically wrong, especially this year, especially in New York. On your first point, you can stay in the race. First of all, technically nobody can get.

[Interviewer/Moderator]

Off the ballot, right?

[Andrew Cuomo]

The question is are you viable in the race? And you can have people who are in the race but the, the voters just think they're not really competitive, they can't win. I'm not going to waste my vote and I think that's what happens here. I think it comes down to me and Mamdan. I think when people understand what Mamdani stands for besides what he has said on TikTok, 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. Socialism does not work in New York City. It's antithetical. We're the business capital.

[Interviewer/Moderator]

Right.

[Andrew Cuomo]

We're pro. Business is the engine that drives the train. So none of that has been communicated yet. And when it does, I can tell you the minds will change.

[David Gura]

Is there an effort by you and your campaign to try to convince Eric Adams or Curtis Lewitt to drop out of this race? Are there conversations that are happening behind the scenes to make what I imagine you see as a compelling case for them to step aside to make this more of a one on one race?

[Andrew Cuomo]

No, I'm sure they're making their own decisions. Look, I've been in elections where I have dropped out because I thought it was the right thing to do. 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. They have to make it personally and that's their business. But again, 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.

[Interviewer/Moderator]

Right.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Didn't support Democrats. Said Barack Obama was a liar and evil and didn't support Kamala Harris against Trump.

[Interviewer/Moderator]

Right.

[Andrew Cuomo]

So this is a very different. This is apples and oranges between the two of us.

[David Gura]

I want to ask you about some comments that Curtis Sliwa made yesterday. I'm sure you heard them campaigning and suggested that you or affiliates of your campaign had reached out to him and offered him money to the tune of $10 million to drop out of this race. And I'm going to quote from what he said during that campaign event. He called these classic Andrew Cuomo tactics. Why don't you strap up Cuomo to a lie detection machine and ask him and we'll all be blown to kingdom come because he's behind it. I don't have a polygraph machine with me here. But how do you respond to what he's alleging in those comments?

[Andrew Cuomo]

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. But it's very simple, David. 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.

[Interviewer/Moderator]

Right.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Who offered you money? He never said who was. Sort of tells you, right, that it's, it's. There was no person who did it.

[David Gura]

I want to ask you. Last we've talked about the state of the race, where you hope that it's headed, and if we can, I'd like to look back to 1977. So ways. You were 19, you were a student at Fordham University. Your dad was making a run for mayor, and you were helping out on the campaign. He didn't win the Democratic primary and decided to run on an independent line for mayor. He ended up losing that race by nine points. They say that history doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes. And I know that you don't want history to repeat itself. You'd like. You'd like to win this race in a way that he wasn't able to back then, 50 years ago. I'm not the first to point out this historical parallel, but I imagine you've thought about it, and I wonder how that experience has informed your outlook on this race. There was introspection after the primaries. You didn't do as well as you wanted to do. You decided to make this run. What can you learn about that race that your dad waged, and how does that inform the way that you're running this?

[Interviewer/Moderator]

Yeah.

[Andrew Cuomo]

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. For me. I believe in the Democratic Party. I believe in what my father stood for, what John F. Kennedy stood for and Robert F. Kennedy stood for, and Bill Clinton and what Mondami represents. And this Democratic Socialists of America, DSA Socialists, call them whatever you want, is repugnant to the Democratic Party. I know. And that's what's really going on here. 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 and the Tea Party was pulling the Republican moderates too far to the right because they were afraid of them in a primary. That's what's happening here. It's a battle for the soul of the Democratic Party. And 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.

[Interviewer/Moderator]

Right.

[Andrew Cuomo]

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. He has zero experience in the position, never managed anything, five employees, never had a real job. And when you're willing to consider sitter chief executive, New York City, 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. And I'm going to do everything I can to stop it.

[David Gura]

Governor Cuomo, thank you very much. Appreciate it.

[Andrew Cuomo]

Thanks.

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