A growing number of Democrats who called on Andrew Cuomo to resign as governor amid sexual harassment allegations are now backing his comeback bid for New York City mayor — including one of his opponents in the race.
On Friday, state Sen. Jessica Ramos became the latest to flip-flop on Cuomo and endorse him, casting the former governor as the candidate best suited to run the city.
“We need results, we need experience and someone who knows how to deliver under pressure,” she said at a press conference held by the Cuomo campaign in Manhattan.
Though she is backing Cuomo, Ramos said she will remain in the race to advocate for “higher wages, more housing, and a stronger voice for working people.”
The reversal from Ramos, who had called on Cuomo to resign in 2021, came just months after she described him a “corrupt bully” who “brings nothing to this race but baggage” when he entered the race.
With her endorsement, Ramos joined lawmakers such as Rep. Adriano Espaillat, state Assembly member and Brooklyn Democratic Chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn and Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, along with others who have changed positions on Cuomo and now welcome his leadership ahead of the city’s Democratic primary later this month.
“There are a lot of elected officials that have decided they want to look past any bad behavior because they want to look at more immediate needs,” said Basil Smikle, a Democratic political strategist and professor at Columbia University. “They seem him as a strong person. They probably think he’s the only one that can push back against Donald Trump.”
Cuomo left office after the state attorney general released a report that determined he sexually harassed at least 11 women. He has said he did not intentionally mistreat the women but had instead fallen behind what was considered appropriate workplace conduct, while at the same criticizing the pressure for his ouster politically motivated.
For Cuomo, securing the endorsements of those who once castigated him could ease voter concerns about his past scandals and bolster his long-held thesis that he was wrongfully forced to resign.
In a statement, Cuomo said he was proud to have Ramos’ support and looked forward to working with her to “put this city back on the right track and make this a stronger and more affordable place for all working men and women.”
“We’re both proud Queens kids and with it comes a ‘Queens attitude’ that is both tough and protective of our families and our neighbors and by extension all New Yorkers,” he said.
Ramos’ endorsement came a day after U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez threw her weight behind mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist who has surged in the months leading up to the primary.
Ramos has grown critical of Mamdani as the left flank of the Democratic Party has coalesced behind him.
She jabbed at the social media-savvy Mamdani during a debate this week, saying she wished she’d run for mayor sooner but “I thought I needed more experience but turns out you just need to make good videos.”