STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Staten Island Democrats announced Friday that the local party had endorsed a preferred candidate in this year’s mayoral election, but their preference isn’t even in the race yet.
Party Chair Laura LoBianco Sword announced Friday morning that the party’s executive committee had decided to nominate former Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the city’s highest office.
“We believe Andrew Cuomo is the only proven leader with the track record of results and resolve to both navigate attacks from Washington and properly address the issues of corruption and deteriorating quality of life that our city faces today,” Sword said. “He stands for working class men and women, and that is why we are endorsing him today.”
While not an official candidate, Cuomo, who resigned from the state’s highest office in 2021, has been widely rumored to be considering a mayoral race entrance with multiple polls showing him leading the pack.
Sword, who first told the New York Post about the endorsement Thursday night, said the party’s executive committee came to its endorsement in part because of scandals plaguing Mayor Eric Adams' administration.
“We made this decision in light of recent news that our current mayor sought the nomination of multiple Republican chairs, cut a deal that prioritized himself over eight million New Yorkers, and essentially handed the keys to New York City to the president,” Sword said. “This is an affront, and enough is enough.”
Nothing in Sword’s statement mentioned the series of scandals that caused Cuomo to resign from his previous post in 2021. The scandals arose in relation to allegations of sexual harassment against the former governor and critiques of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sword’s statement did applaud Cuomo’s performance after Hurricane Sandy, his placement of a drive-thru COVID testing site in Ocean Breeze and several transportation projects on the Island.
A recent survey from Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill showed Cuomo leading the pack of Democratic mayoral primary candidates with 33% of 1,000 surveyed registered voters. Undecided voters made up 25% of that vote.
MORE POLITICAL NEWS
- 1 million new homes a cornerstone of mayoral candidate’s policy platform
- NYC comptroller’s mayoral campaign paints him as competent manager; here’s a look at his platform
- Cuomo has led polls throughout his campaign. If he is elected mayor, what would it mean for Staten Island?
- NYC mayoral candidate touts free Staten Island Ferry as cause for free bus service
- Staten Island councilmember receives police unions backing for 2025