Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo hasn’t launched his campaign for New York City mayor yet, but he’s already garnered several crucial endorsements — the latest from a former foe.
On Monday, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) told the New York Post that he is backing Cuomo if he runs.
Torres is the first New York congressman to back Cuomo. With his own rumored gubernatorial ambitions in the backdrop of the decision, he could be handing Cuomo his endorsement in exchange for the former New York governor’s nod in the future.
“The two most important things we need are competence and courage,” Torres said. “Andrew Cuomo has the competence to govern the city. He has the courage to stand up to extremist politics — both from the far left and far right.”
“We don’t need a Mr. Nice Guy,” he said. “We need a Mr. Tough Guy.”
Torres said he doesn’t want to “relitigate” Cuomo’s past sexual harassment accusations, which the governor has denied. He wants a comeback for Cuomo, highlighting his past infrastructure upgrades, such as the revitalization of the city’s LaGuardia Airport and the construction of Moynihan Train Hall.
“I predict the comeback story of the 2025 election will be the resurrection of Andrew Cuomo. America loves a comeback, New York loves a comeback,” Torres said.
“[Cuomo] succeeded when others have failed,” he added.
Torres endorsed Andrew Yang for New York City mayor in 2021. The same year, as Cuomo battled harassment claims that led to his resignation, Torres called for him to step down.
“He must consider doing what is best not for himself but for the state of New York in a moment of crisis. Resignation is in the best interest of New York State,” he said in a March 2021 statement.
New York City Democrats running for mayor have made Cuomo their collective punching bag, with almost all, mostly sans current Mayor Eric Adams, not shying away from slamming the former governor.
However, while his unpopularity with elected Democrats, which stems from his past sexual harassment accusations, has been heavy, New York City voters seemingly favor him for mayor despite his current absence from the race.
Several polls have shown Cuomo out in front of the 2025 mayoral field featuring Adams, city Comptroller Brad Lander, former Comptroller Scott Stringer, and several other Democrats. An Emerson College poll earlier this month saw him leading the field by over 20 points.
If Cuomo enters the mayoral race, he’s likely to be the frontrunner. Outside of Torres, he’s earned endorsements from the Staten Island Democratic Club, the Village Reform Democratic Club, and former state Comptroller Herman Carl McCall.
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Petitioning for ballot access in the New York City mayoral race begins Feb. 25 and is due April 3.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Cuomo for comment but did not receive a response.