Ex-Gov Cuomo To Run On Independent Ballot Line In General Election

NEW YORK CITY — Former governor Andrew Cuomo will run on an independent ballot line in the November mayoral general election, according to reports.

Cuomo will run a ballot line called "Fight and Deliver." The move is an attempt to get more votes in November if he wins the nomination in the June 24 primary.

It is also being viewed as an insurance policy if Cuomo were to lose the primary to Zohran Mamdani or Brad Lander. The former governor would be still be able to run as an independent candidate, just like Mayor Eric Adams.

“This November, in addition to securing the Democratic nomination, my campaign will work to build the largest possible coalition and secure the biggest possible mandate,” Cuomo said in a statement to the New York Post.

“We will be responsive to those who want to support my candidacy, but who would like an alternate way to do it, by starting the Fight and Deliver Party to appeal to disillusioned Democrats, as well as to independents and Republicans."

Cuomo remains the frontrunner in Democratic polls, Patch previously reported.

Both Mamdani and Lander criticized the move Tuesday in separate posts on X.

Adams said Cuomo is just going through the motions in his campaign and duplicating everything he says.

“I thought the word was ‘I’m going to be like Mike, not I’m going to be like Eric,’” Adams said, alluding to former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.