Former Governor Andrew Cuomo asked New York City Mayor Eric Adams to step aside in November's mayoral race, Adams revealed in an interview on CBNC on Monday.
For Cuomo to ask him not to run in the general election was "the highest level of arrogance," Adams said on "Squawk Box."
"I said, “Andrew, are you that level of arrogance?” I'm the sitting mayor, the sitting mayor of the City of New York. And you expect me to step aside when you just lost to Zohran by 12 points. He was up 32 points, $30 million dollars. You lost. They heard your message and you lost. Now let a fresh set of legs that has produced for this city," Adams said on CNBC.
The mayor also noted that Cuomo should be the one to drop out of the race. Both individuals are running on an independent ballot line in the general election.
In response, Cuomo's campaign spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said an independent survey should be taken in September to determine whose candidacy and vision for New York is strongest in a one-on-one race in November. The one with the lower poll number should then drop out of the race.
"Mayor Adams did not run in the Democratic primary because he knew he was anathema to Democrats and unelectable. Nothing has changed. We do not see any path to victory for Mayor Adams," Azzopardi said in a statement.
Former Governor David Paterson on Monday called on Adams and Cuomo to unite to defeat Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral nominee, according to CBS News New York.
Paterson said either Adams or Cuomo should drop their independent campaign and support the other, or risk handing the election to Mamdani, a progressive and the current frontrunner.
