Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorses Andrew Cuomo for New York City mayor
NEW YORK (WABC) -- In the race for New York City mayor, Andrew Cuomo scored a major endorsement from former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
With primary day two weeks away, Bloomberg announced Tuesday that he is backing the former New York governor.
In a statement, he said Cuomo is the best choice among the field of candidates.
He pointed to his work renovating LaGuardia Airport, opening the Second Avenue subway station and the creation of Moynihan Station as proof he can get long-stalled projects finally done.
"The question before New Yorkers is not: Who is the perfect choice? No mayor is perfect. The question is: Who is the best choice? To me, that choice is clear: Andrew Cuomo," Bloomberg said.
Speaking to Eyewitness News in an interview on Tuesday, Cuomo said he was deeply honored by the endorsement.
"Mayor Bloomberg's endorsement makes an important point to me. If you remember, they used to have those old signs, 'Help wanted, no experience necessary.' You never see them anymore," Cuomo said. "The only place you see it is at City Hall, 'Mayor wanted, no experience necessary.' And that's who's running for mayor now. People who have no experience, and frankly, we've had mayors with no management experience whatsoever."
He said that Bloomberg is showing that "management experience matters."
"He was a manager. He wasn't a politician. He had run a very large organization, run it very well, and he managed to city well. Things worked," Cuomo said. "And he understands that a mayor has to be able to manage. A mayor needs experience. A mayor has to be able to deal with Washington. A mayor has to be able to deal with this."
Cuomo has picked up multiple union endorsements, even the endorsement of one of his opponents. The Bloomberg endorsement is different because experience has been Cuomo's sales pitch in the campaign.
"He has governed as a pragmatist," Bloomberg said, "focused on solving problems rather than engaging in ideological or partisan warfare. And he has shown that he can get big things done."
Cuomo pointed to his experience as governor for 11 years, and says he's run a budget twice the size of New York City.
He also referenced President Trump as an "existential threat" to the city.
Bloomberg's endorsement comes as progressive democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani inches toward Cuomo in the polling.
Mamdani released a statement saying, "the billionaires are consolidating around Andrew Cuomo."
"The billionaires are consolidating around Andrew Cuomo because they know he will preserve the broken status quo," the statement said. "New Yorkers are rallying behind Zohran Mamdani because they are ready for a new generation of leadership that puts working people first. On June 24, we will shock the political establishment and win a city we can all actually afford."
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