In announcing his candidacy for New York mayor, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo presented a city plagued by crime and homelessness, attributing these issues to the Democratic Party’s leadership failures. In a 17-minute video, he criticized the party’s progressive wing, emphasized the need for effective governance, and invoked past Democratic leaders to bolster his message. While seeking redemption from personal scandals, including sexual harassment allegations, Cuomo aims to regain political stature. He positioned himself as an experienced executive, advocating for law and order, and remarked on potential collaboration with President Trump, hoping to mend relationships with voters amid ongoing political debates within the party.
Upon announcing his candidacy for mayor of New York, former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo depicted a city in distress, plagued by crime, homelessness, and threats both above and below ground. He identified a primary culprit for these issues: the unsuccessful leadership of the Democratic Party, with which he has been closely associated for much of his life.
As he criticized the party’s progressive faction for advocating the defunding of police and Democratic leaders for their inability to address homelessness, it became apparent that Mr. Cuomo was targeting a broader audience than just the voters in the city’s upcoming mayoral primary.
In a 17-minute video released on Saturday, Mr. Cuomo referenced a notable roster of Democratic presidents — alongside one famous Democrat who never pursued the presidency but passionately defended liberal values during the peak of Reagan Republicanism.
“F.D.R., John Kennedy, L.B.J., Mario Cuomo, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama taught us the essence of a true progressive government: it was not about mere words, but about tangible results,” Mr. Cuomo stated. “They focused on issues that were crucial to people’s daily lives and then made actual improvements. This is the task Democrats must undertake once again.”
Positioning himself as the latest of the party’s long-respected leaders, including his father, a three-time governor, is part of Mr. Cuomo’s strategy to rehabilitate his image. His reputation has taken hits from accusations of sexual harassment that led to his resignation and critiques regarding his handling of New York State during the coronavirus pandemic.
The personal challenges Mr. Cuomo faces could be formidable: the state attorney general found that he sexually harassed nearly a dozen women. New Yorkers might deny him a second chance.
However, as he launched his campaign, his critiques of his party’s leadership signified an attempt to engage in a broader, albeit pressing, dialogue surrounding the future of the national Democratic Party.
This internal struggle has simmered since Donald J. Trump won the White House last year, leaving Democrats feeling powerless in Washington.
In his introductory video, Mr. Cuomo spoke to the prevailing political uncertainty and urged the nation to look to its largest city — and his leadership — for direction.
“In this time, when the nation is searching for its identity, more divided than ever, questioning our democratic values, and reassessing the role of government and the balance of power, New York must lead the way and remind the nation of who we are,” Mr. Cuomo asserted in the video.
“New York teaches us that we cannot run from one another,” he continued, “but must instead move towards one another.”
At 67, Mr. Cuomo has never been lacking in confidence or ambition. Before being derailed by scandal, he intended to seek a fourth term as governor, a milestone that eluded his father, while facing ongoing questions regarding his denied presidential aspirations.
Although his campaign is just beginning, Mr. Cuomo’s message regarding ineffective progressive leadership is familiar. He dedicated much of his third term as governor to portraying his party’s invigorated left wing as a political foil — when he wasn’t trying to claim credit for their achievements. “I am the left,” he declared in 2019, after criticizing progressive lawmakers in his state.
In the recent video, Mr. Cuomo’s critique centered on what he deemed the Democratic Party’s failure to address citizens’ most urgent issues — especially public safety and affordability.
“The fundamental premise of a progressive Democratic Party revolves around serving working men and women,” he remarked, “yet, sadly, they are the ones now bearing the brunt of New York’s ineffective Democratic leadership.”
Winning the New York mayoral race could likely return Mr. Cuomo to national spotlight. Some of his supporters envision him possibly using it as a launchpad for a national role.
Conversely, other Democrats find that notion laughable. They point out Mr. Cuomo’s selective recounting of his political past, which glosses over the investigations into his administration’s apparent efforts to misrepresent Covid deaths in nursing homes and his elimination of cash bail for numerous offenses, an action some Democrats argue exacerbated crime rates.
“The notion that he is the capable adult who will campaign on center-left policies lacks substance,” remarked Lauren Hitt, a spokesperson for New Yorkers for Better Leadership, a super PAC opposing Mr. Cuomo. “He provides a template for politicians attempting to rise above scandal, but I doubt a party in search of a clear message would look to Andrew Cuomo.”
Mr. Cuomo also presented himself as an experienced executive who could demonstrate to New Yorkers that government can “actually function and accomplish significant, challenging, important tasks — and do them effectively.”
This argument mirrors the aspirations, if not the style, of former President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who sought to restore confidence in government by implementing policies that improved the lives of Americans.
Certainly, during Mr. Biden’s presidency, Democrats maintained a delicate balance between their centrist and left factions to facilitate an ambitious legislative agenda. Now, with their loss of federal power, everything from their policy positions to political strategies is suddenly up for reconsideration.
In discussing issues of policing, housing costs, and homelessness, Mr. Cuomo firmly aligned himself with Democratic moderates who advocate for the party to prioritize law and order.
“From my perspective, the foundational idea of a progressive Democratic Party revolves around representing working-class individuals, yet tragically, they are currently the ones facing the steepest costs due to New York’s ineffective Democratic leadership,” he noted. “This approach isn’t progressive; it’s regressive.”
As the new Trump administration hastens a right-wing agenda, Democrats have grappled with how aggressively to respond. While some suggest a cautious approach, like strategist James Carville, who urged to “roll over and play dead,” younger, more liberal lawmakers are pushing the party to mount a full-scale opposition to the president’s initiatives.
“Many Democrats believe in a selective fighting strategy, preferring to conserve their energy and strike at opportune moments,” remarked Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat known for advocating an assertive Democratic response, during his appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” poking fun at that cautious approach. “We need to be on the offensive around the clock.”
In contrast, Mr. Cuomo has notably refrained from criticizing Mr. Trump — a “notable silence,” according to State Senator Zellnor Myrie, one of his competitors, which starkly contrasts with the abrasive stance he took against the president during the pandemic. In his video, he even struck a tone of camaraderie.
“I will cooperate and collaborate on any level possible,” he stated during his announcement video. “I’ve worked with President Trump in a variety of contexts. I hope that President Trump remembers his roots and collaborates with us to improve our city.”
Regarding New York City, Mr. Cuomo appears to hope that the president will be willing to mend fences to foster a new partnership.
He evidently wishes that the voters of the city will do the same.