Cuomo Rivals Question Seriousness of Campaign as 2028 Presidential Bid Rumors Floated

Andrew Cuomo is currently leading the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, and as the former governor climbs in the polls, some of his critics are moving to frame his candidacy as a mere prelude to a presidential bid. But are these claims grounded in fact — or are they politically motivated attempts to undercut his momentum?

“I did hear that he is running for mayor so that he can run for president in 2028,” a former Queens politician who claims to know Cuomo well told the New York Post.

Political strategist Hank Sheinkopf speculated that Cuomo “has always been ambitious,” but was quick to add a caveat: “What mayor of New York has ever been elected president of the United States?”

Rival candidate Scott Stringer’s campaign declared, “Nobody really thinks he wants to … be mayor.” Stringer has polled in the single digits, as have all of the other candidates aside from far-left socialist State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani.

Cuomo’s camp, for its part, has pushed back on these claims. “Andrew Cuomo is fully focused on the mayor’s race and getting the city he loves back on the right track after 12 years of mismanagement,” said longtime spokesman Rich Azzopardi. “There’s much work to be done and New Yorkers know he has the experience and the record of results to do it.”

Cuomo’s recent policy proposals, including raising the minimum wage to $20 by 2027 and expanding universal pre-K, have also been reframed by opponents as reversals.

Sheinkopf argued these policies are intended to counter rising support for progressive rival Zohran Mamdani. “Mamdani has fresher ideas, and this may be a close race,” he said. But even he acknowledged Cuomo maintains a solid lead, with the latest PIX 11/Emerson College poll showing him defeating Mamdani in 10 rounds of ranked-choice voting by a margin of 54.4% to 45.6%.

Jamal Simmons, a veteran Democratic strategist, told the Post: “I don’t know if Cuomo would run for president.”

“I imagine a lot of people will like the idea of him running for president because he’s a tough guy who might prevail against Trump.”

Cuomo himself addressed the topic directly in March. “In some ways, I didn’t need to do this at this point in my life,” he said at a 504 Democratic Club forum. “I don’t need a title. I don’t need any of this stuff. Matter of fact, governor versus mayor, I think governor’s a better title. But anyway, I want to make a difference.”

Still, detractors are determined to frame his run as opportunistic. “Andrew Cuomo has proven time and time again he’s only in this for himself,” said Dora Pekec, a spokesperson for Brad Lander’s campaign. “New Yorkers won’t be fooled by his pathetic efforts at redemption.”