Former Gov. David Paterson endorses Eric Adams for reelection. He previously supported Andrew Cuomo.
Former Gov. David Paterson has formally endorsed Mayor Eric Adams for reelection.
Paterson made the announcement with Adams on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday afternoon.
"Gov. Paterson is a well-respected leader throughout the city, in general, but specifically in the Harlem community," Adams said, "and I can't be any clearer that we have yet to tell our story and having Gov. Paterson being able to articulate and show us how to continue to get our story out, it's a real way. He's done it before."
Paterson had supported former Gov. Andrew Cuomo during the Democratic primary, calling him the best choice. However, after Zohran Mamdani won the primary, Paterson called on independents to unify against the Democratic socialist.
To do that, Paterson suggested either Adams or Cuomo should drop their independent campaign and support the other, lest they risk handing the election to Mamdani.
"I'll say this: if any of them dropped out in favor of the idea of increasing the chance of beating the assemblyman, they would become a national hero instantly," Paterson told CBS News New York's Marcia Kramer before Wednesday's endorsement.
A new Siena poll, released Tuesday, shows Mamdani well ahead in the race, with 44% support. Cuomo is in second with 25%, Republican Curtis Sliwa is in third with 12%, followed by Adams with just 7% support.
Adams seemed to shrug off his low polling numbers in an exclusive interview with CBS News New York's Ali Bauman on Tuesday.
"This is going to be the most unique mayoral race in the history of this city," Adams said. "And a lot of first-time voters are going to come out. That's gonna change this dynamic."
Mamdani gets rude welcome on Staten Island
On Wednesday, Mamdani continued his five-borough tour with a stop on Staten Island, but was greeted with chants and heckling.
However, the Queens assemblyman seemed to take the whole thing in stride. He was asked why he brought his anti-Trump crusade to Staten Island, knowing that he would be confronted by a lot of Republicans who support the president.
"For too long, too many of us have been afraid to make the case. We have been embarrassed of our own ideas and ideals, and part of the reason that I stand before you as the Democratic nominee is that I went everywhere," Mamdani said.
Mamdani's decision to campaign against the president is generating a lot of heat on the campaign trail.
"He wants to challenge Trump. He knows he can win an election in New York City by challenging Trump, not Sliwa, not Cuomo, not Adams," Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa said on Fox.
"I think he, strategically, made a bad move turning this into a race against Trump because I think people are starting to listen to the fact that you can have all kinds of lofty goals, but if you can't explain the apparatus you're going to use to achieve them, you're going to have a big problem," Paterson said.
Cuomo had no public events scheduled on Wednesday, but he did continue to wage his social media war against Mamdani, this time for living in a rent-stabilized apartment. Mamdani returned the favor by posting a video that questioned the clients Cuomo has represented.
