Cuomo Enters Unpredictable Mayor’s Race With Tightly Controlled Rollout

NEW YORK — Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo greeted supporters from a heavily-guarded union headquarters in Manhattan as protesters and campaign rivals pounced on his campaign trail debut Sunday.

During his launch event for his New York City mayoral bid, the Democrat tried to make the case the city he once ruled from the state capital 150 miles north had lost its way, and would improve with him as mayor.

“We are here because we love New York and we know New York City is in trouble,” he said, after an introduction from his three daughters. “You feel it when you walk down the street and you see the mentally ill homeless people. You feel it when you walk down into the subway and you feel the anxiety rise up in your chest. You hear it when you hear the scream of the police sirens.”

Down the block, throngs of protesters gathered to denounce his candidacy and label the 67-year-old career politician a “corrupt power abuser” and a “groper” whom they said continually lied and bullied women while in office.

The juxtaposition highlights the challenges Cuomo faces in his attempt at a high-stakes comeback after resigning from office in 2021 following sexual harassment allegations that he denies.

He enters the race with a lead in the polls, the promise of financial support from a supportive PAC and near universal name recognition. But as the presumed front-runner, he will be heavily scrutinized and criticized.

His return to the podium also demonstrated the degree of control to which he was accustomed as a powerful and feared governor, and previewed the difficulty he may face as he confronts Mayor Eric Adams and lesser-known but similarly combative challengers vying in the June 24 primary.

Journalists and supporters needed to go through multiple checkpoints, and were instructed to wear color-coded wristbands.

A coach bus brought in supporters and scores of union members also arrived. But one union member told POLITICO many didn’t know they were attending a Cuomo event. They had received text messages from union leadership that only described a “valuable opportunity” to “connect, collaborate, and enhance their engagement,” according to a message shared with POLITICO. Another text POLITICO reviewed described it as a “rally event.”

Two firms hired by Cuomo’s team — Mercury Public Affairs and North Shore Strategies — helped ensure no protesters or disruptors could get in.

But a New York City mayor’s race is hard to control.

Candidates are constantly faced with unpredictable encounters, even front-runners who typically try to avoid them.

They are met with loud-mouthed residents, angry demonstrators and probing journalists all looking to pepper them with questions.

Campaign rivals began pouncing on Cuomo’s record as soon as his launch video dropped Saturday.

"We deserve better than former politicians clinging to power for clout,” Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie said in a statement.

But from the fourth floor of the NYC District Council of Carpenters building, the governor was met with a packed crowd holding glistening signs bearing his name.

“One of the lessons I learned was when you are doing well you have a lot of friends,” Cuomo said, without getting specific. “But then you hit a tough spot in life, which is inevitable that something is going to happen, and you hit that tough spot then you really find out who your friends are.”

The governor’s team shouted City Council member Farah Louis and Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs as supporters. Gibbs previously backed the mayor and Louis is close to the head of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, who remains a public defender of Adams.

The mayor’s reelection bid is beset by a federal indictment on corruption charges and interference from President Donald that may be legally helpful but comes with huge political downside in a Democratic primary. He has a skeletal campaign operation and has been denied public matching funds.

In addressing supporters, Cuomo touted the major infrastructure projects he erected around the state during his decade-long reign in Albany: A refurbished LaGuardia Airport, Moynihan Train Hall, the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. He also railed against the left flank of his party for demanding cuts to police budgets in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.

“One of the one of the real mistakes that was made was cutting the police,” he briefly told veteran reporter Marcia Kramer, before he was whisked away behind a curtain from the dozens of reporters waiting to ask him other questions.

“This was a very crowded event,” campaign spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said. “The governor is going to have ample opportunity to talk to you guys. It's going to be a consequential and exciting couple of months. We’ll see you guys out on the trail.”

Cuomo’s lawyer, Rita Glavin, was on hand and defended his legal team’s move to subpoena the gynecological records of one of his alleged sexual harassment victims. “It is absolutely pertinent, relevant,” she said of the records, adding that a confidentiality agreement prevented her from going into detail. “I will be happy to explain in detail why they were absolutely necessary given what she was claiming was trauma,” she added, referencing the possible lifting of the confidentiality agreement.

Down the block, a coalition that included the New York Working Families Party gathered to rally under the banner “Women Against Cuomo.”

“The contrast could not be starker,” said Ana María Archila, co-director of the third party, on the line of men who were entering the Carpenter’s Union HQ. “Andrew Cuomo is seeking refuge in a crowd of men as he launches his campaign for mayor while women are standing outside saying: ‘We have not forgotten the stories of the women that came forward. We have not forgotten the ways that Andrew Cuomo abused his power with his female employees.’”

“Maybe the carpenters think it's OK to have a groper in office. We don't,” Archila added.

The speakers read from Brittany Commisso’s deposition, which was included in Attorney General’s Letitia James’ report on the allegations. Commisso worked as an executive assistant in the former governor’s office and alleged that Cuomo groped her twice and kissed her on the lips without her consent.

Cuomo recently sued Charlotte Bennett — another executive assistant who also accused him of sexual assault — after she withdrew her lawsuit from federal court. Bennett is still pursuing her lawsuit against the state of New York.

Meanwhile a line of attack began to form among Cuomo’s rivals, who argue he hurt New York City as governor, often out of spite for then Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“Pissing matches, self-aggrandizement and fear-mongering … we just see this pattern time and time again, and especially the part about taking money from New York City and putting it elsewhere,” city Comptroller Brad Lander said at a press conference.

He cited Cuomo’s funding decisions around the MTA — including directing money toward an upstate ski resort — and the end of a state-funded voucher program for people leaving homeless shelters.

“Andrew Cuomo sounds to me like someone who hates New York City and wants to run on its problems for his own revenge fantasy,” Lander said.

Lander additionally called Cuomo’s campaign launch “underwhelming.”

“Very few so far – people who have either been in elected office or are leading organizations or are champions for this city – very few of them chose to join his launch today,” said Lander, who also did not roll out his campaign with a slew of the type of people he referenced. “That is not the overwhelming bully force that many people expected him to enter the race with.”

Janaki Chada contributed to this report.