Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is preparing to launch a widely anticipated campaign for New York City mayor by early March, according to two people familiar with his plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity to address private deliberations.

His timeline for entering the June primary is materializing as Mayor Eric Adams faces growing calls to resign amid new revelations, which he denies, that his legal team privately brokered a deal for the Justice Department to dismiss federal corruption charges in exchange for a vow to enforce the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

The swirling controversy has contributed to what one person familiar with Cuomo’s plans described as a “palpable yearning” among business and civic leaders for the former governor to finally jump into the race.

On Thursday, the Staten Island Democratic Party preemptively backed Cuomo for mayor, calling on him to join a primary that features several left-wing challengers.

“People may be seeing some more of that across the city in the next couple of weeks,” said a Democratic insider in New York, noting that there will likely be “additional party leaders and Democratic officials” announcing their support for Cuomo as he waits in the wings.

Cuomo’s allies are also reportedly forming a super PAC to boost his candidacy as he continues to stoke speculation about a run on social media, including a video set to dramatic music he posted to X on Friday that many observers interpreted as a de facto campaign ad. 

“We know how to make this city work and make this state safe for everyone, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Cuomo said in the video. 

Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for Cuomo, told Jewish Insider on Friday that speculation “remains premature,” repeating a line he has used frequently in recent weeks.

The question of when Cuomo will announce a campaign has become something of an ongoing parlor game in New York City political circles over the past several months. The former governor had also reportedly been considering an early February launch, and sources told JI in November he would be launching a bid sooner than later.

But even as Cuomo continues to demur on revealing his plans, one person familiar with the situation told JI that a campaign “is going to happen” — whenever he chooses to launch his bid.

Cuomo, who has been mulling a political comeback after resigning from office in 2021 amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies, is running out of time to join the race. In order to qualify for the ballot, he would need to gather enough signatures between Feb. 25 and April 3 ahead of the scheduled June 24 primary date. 

Polling has continued to show that Cuomo, a moderate Democrat, holds an edge in the primary, including City Comptroller Brad Lander, state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, former Comptroller Scott Stringer and state Sens. Jessica Ramos and Zellnor Myrie.

In addition to the controversy surrounding his resignation, Cuomo also would need to overcome lingering resentment within the Orthodox Jewish community over COVID restrictions that were seen as discriminatory — though some Orthodox leaders have indicated that they are open to supporting him due to their dissatisfaction with the current primary field.

As he readies his campaign, Cuomo has been “calling around to Orthodox leaders” and had “quite a long conversation with one yesterday,” said an Orthodox leader who was granted anonymity to describe the former governor’s recent outreach.
Cuomo has also made broader public overtures to the organized Jewish community in recent months, frequently touting his support for Israel and speaking out against rising antisemitism.