New York City’s 2025 mayoral race has taken on a distinctly familiar shape, echoing political dramas of decades past. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo, undeterred by a stinging defeat in the Democratic primary, is forging ahead with his bid for City Hall—a move that draws striking parallels to the 1977 campaign of his late father, Mario M. Cuomo. As the city’s political establishment scrambles in the wake of Cuomo’s decision, the contest is exposing old wounds, new alliances, and the enduring complexities of the Cuomo family’s relationship with New York politics.
According to Politico and The New York Times, Andrew Cuomo openly acknowledged at a recent fundraising event that President Donald Trump could help sway Republican voters in his favor. "Trump himself, as well as top Republicans, will say the goal is to stop [Democratic nominee Zohran] Mamdani. And you’ll be wasting your vote on [Republican nominee Curtis] Sliwa. So I feel good about that," Cuomo reportedly told donors, as captured in audio obtained by Politico. While Cuomo’s spokesperson, Rich Azzopardi, was quick to downplay the remarks as mere speculation in response to a hypothetical, the comments have added fuel to an already contentious race.
Cuomo’s musings about Trump’s potential influence come amid rumors—denied by both parties—of a phone call between the former governor and the former president regarding the election. Though Cuomo has insisted he would not accept Trump’s endorsement, he did not shy away from suggesting a possible working relationship if elected. "Let’s put it this way: I knew the president very well," he said. "I believe there will be opportunities to actually cooperate with him. I also believe that he’s not going to want to fight with me in New York if he can avoid it." (Politico)
This openness to collaboration with Trump has not gone unnoticed by his rivals. The Mamdani campaign, seizing on Cuomo’s comments, issued a pointed statement: "Since he’s too afraid to say it to New Yorkers’ faces, we’ll make it clear: Andrew Cuomo is Donald Trump’s choice for mayor," said Dora Pekec, a spokesperson for Mamdani. The charge is a sharp rebuke in a city where Trump remains deeply unpopular among Democratic voters.
Polling data underscore Cuomo’s uphill battle. An August 2025 survey from Gotham Polling and AARP shows Mamdani leading with 42% support, followed by Cuomo at 23%, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams at 9%, and Republican Curtis Sliwa at 17%. These numbers reflect the significant challenges facing Cuomo, who lost to Mamdani by nearly 13 percentage points in the Democratic primary earlier this year and continues to trail in the general election polls. (Politico, The New York Times)
Yet, for Cuomo, the fight is personal—and historical. The specter of 1977 looms large over the current race. Nearly five decades ago, Mario Cuomo lost the Democratic primary and runoff to Edward I. Koch but refused to concede, running in the general election on the Liberal and Neighborhood Preservation Party lines. He ultimately lost, but the campaign became a defining chapter in his storied career, setting the stage for his future as governor and cementing his reputation as a principled, if sometimes stubborn, political figure. (The New York Times)
Andrew Cuomo, then a college student, was at his father’s side throughout that tumultuous campaign. He served as adviser, counselor, and at times, enforcer—a role that gave him a front-row seat to the cut-and-thrust of New York politics. "It was such an intense experience on every level that it was just a very intensive education," Andrew recalled in an interview with The New York Times. "You’re watching these debates. You’re watching these forums. Different people, different styles, different strategies, different tactics. You learn about the press. You learn about how reporters are operating."
The parallels between father and son are hard to miss. Both Cuomos positioned themselves as solutions to a city beset by crime and disorder. Both faced crowded fields and were urged by party leaders to step aside after losing the primary. Both refused to quit, convinced they could defy the odds in the general election. In 1977, Mario Cuomo narrowed a significant polling deficit, ultimately losing to Koch by just nine points. Andrew, now 67 and running for what may be his last major political office, appears determined to rewrite the family history.
Longtime friends and former aides see the same stubborn determination in Andrew that defined his father. "There is a lesson here: not to give up," said Tonio Burgos, a senior adviser to Mario Cuomo in 1977 and a close friend of Andrew’s. "We almost won in ’77. He’s not going to give up. That’s what is driving him. And, by the way, he’s not wrong." (The New York Times)
But the differences between the two campaigns are as significant as the similarities. Mario Cuomo’s 1977 loss ultimately elevated his standing, paving the way for a successful run for governor. Andrew, on the other hand, is seeking redemption after resigning as governor in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, which he continues to deny. His style as governor—described by The New York Times as belittling and hectoring—left him with a long list of critics and few remaining allies. Many abandoned him during the scandal, and his political future now hangs in the balance.
Cuomo’s persistence has also ruffled feathers among his current rivals. At the recent donor event, he floated the idea of Mayor Adams dropping out to consolidate moderates’ support, a suggestion that reportedly angered the sitting mayor. With the field still crowded—including Sliwa, Adams, and independent Jim Walden—Cuomo’s path to victory remains narrow at best.
Observers and political veterans are divided on whether Andrew Cuomo can pull off the upset his father could not. "Andrew is not as popular as his father was," said George Arzt, a longtime political consultant. "I don’t think Andrew carries the same kind of gravitas that his father did." Others, like Michael J. Del Giudice, a former senior aide to Mario Cuomo, wonder what’s next if Andrew loses: "He feels he has to go for it, and he’s not looking good as a result of it. And hopefully he comes out of it in at least OK shape. If he loses, I don’t know what he does."
For now, Andrew Cuomo remains undeterred, channeling the lessons and legacy of his father’s 1977 campaign while grappling with the unique challenges of his own. Whether history will repeat itself—or take a dramatic turn—remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the Cuomo name, for better or worse, continues to cast a long shadow over New York City’s political stage.
As the city barrels toward November, voters find themselves at the crossroads of history and the present, weighing the echoes of the past against the urgent realities of today’s New York. The outcome will not only determine the city’s next mayor but also the final chapter of a political dynasty that has shaped—and been shaped by—the city for nearly half a century.
