Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo launches a run for New York City mayor

NEW YORK — Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that he is running for mayor of New York City, relaunching his political career following a years-long exile over a barrage of sexual harassment accusations.

In a 17-minute video announcing his campaign, Cuomo pitched himself as an accomplished moderate who could save a city that felt threatening and “out of control,” and is capable of navigating the delicate balance between working with Republican President Trump and fighting him, when necessary.

“I am not saying this is going to be easy. It won’t be easy, but I know we can turn the city around and I believe I can help, and that is why I announce my candidacy today for mayor of New York City today,” he said.

The Democrat is expected to mount a formidable campaign, despite entering the race deeply wounded by the scandal that forced his resignation from the governor’s office in 2021.

He takes on a large field of primary opponents with low name recognition plus an incumbent, Mayor Eric Adams, who — for now — remains under indictment on federal corruption charges, and under scrutiny from critics who question his independence from Trump.

Cuomo enters the race with fundraising prowess, a record of accomplishments over his three terms as governor and potential support among many of the same moderate voters who helped propel Adams to office.

Yet it is unclear whether voters are willing to give Cuomo another chance following his remarkable downfall 3½ years ago, when he went from being hailed for his leadership during the onslaught of COVID-19 to being castigated for his behavior with women and questioned about his response to the pandemic.

In his campaign video, Cuomo acknowledged past “mistakes” but didn’t directly mention the harassment allegations.

“Did I always do everything right in my years of government service? Of course not,” he said. “Would I do some things differently knowing what I know now? Certainly. Did I make mistakes, some painfully? Definitely, and I believe I learned from them and that I am a better person for it and I hope to show that every day.”

Plotting a comeback from scandal

Cuomo had been circling a return to politics for years while his lawyers and political consultants kept trying to discredit his accusers.

At least 11 women credibly accused him of sexual harassment, which included allegations of unwanted kissing and touching, as well as remarking about their looks and sex lives, according to a report released by New York’s attorney general. One aide later filed a criminal complaint accusing Cuomo of grabbing her breast when they were alone in the governor’s mansion in Albany in late 2020.

Cuomo denied the sexual assault allegation, which a prosecutor ultimately dropped on the grounds that there wasn’t enough proof to get a conviction.

As for his behavior with some of the other women, Cuomo said he did not intentionally mistreat them and had simply fallen behind the times of what was considered appropriate workplace conduct.

Taxpayers have spent millions of dollars defending him and his top aides in court against various lawsuits related to the allegations.

A crowded field of challengers

The mayor’s race already has several candidates vying to beat Adams in the June Democratic primary.

Among them are city Comptroller Brad Lander, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani and former city Comptroller Scott Stringer, who was a front-runner in the mayor’s race four years ago until a woman accused him of groping and kissing her without her consent 20 years earlier.

Ramos in a statement called Cuomo a “corrupt bully” who “brings nothing to this race but baggage.”

Myrie said New York shouldn’t be forced to relive “the Andrew Cuomo show.”

“We deserve better than selfish leaders who spent decades in office putting their desire for power above New Yorkers’ needs,” Myrie said.

Adams, caught on a city street by a Politico reporter after Cuomo’s announcement, welcomed the former governor to the race.

“Come one, come all. Everybody should put their position forward. I have a great record to run on. We look forward to the campaign,” he said.

Cuomo faces a vulnerable incumbent

Adams is also seeking reelection but is facing a tempest over the criminal case against him, and the U.S. Justice Department’s extraordinary effort to end the case over the objection of the prosecutors who brought the charges.

An indictment said Adams accepted luxury travel perks and illegal campaign contributions from people who wanted to buy his influence, including a Turkish official and other foreign nationals. After Trump took office, a top Justice Department official ordered prosecutors to dismiss the charges so Adams could focus on assisting the president’s immigration agenda, while leaving open the possibly that the case could reemerge after the mayoral election.

That dynamic led critics to claim that Adams had struck a deal to help with Trump’s immigration crackdown in exchange for legal salvation.

Adams has denied such an arrangement was made, while facing intense pressure to step down and a potential removal from office by Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat. Some of the mayor’s top deputies announced plans to step down in protest.

Long rise to power, quick fall

Cuomo started in politics working for his father, then-New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, and later rose to become U.S. Housing secretary under President Clinton and New York attorney general before being elected governor in 2010.

His national star power was highest during the COVID-19 pandemic, when his televised daily briefings, full of clear-eyed rhetoric on the virus, attracted admirers nationwide who saw him as a steady hand of leadership in a chaotic time. The briefings won an international Emmy award and led to him getting a book deal for more than $5 million to write “American Crisis: Leadership Lessons From the Covid-19 Pandemic.”

Women, though, began coming forward in late 2020 and early 2021, accusing Cuomo of misconduct. He faced a potential impeachment before he stepped down. A state ethics panel tried unsuccessfully to get Cuomo to give up the proceeds of his book deal after it determined he used taxpayer resources to prepare, edit and publish the book.

Questions about handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes

Cuomo was further damaged by allegations that a directive from his administration had unintentionally contributed to a wave of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes by initially barring them from refusing to readmit virus patients discharged from hospitals.

The governor contended that the allegations were baseless, but his administration was subsequently found to have substantially undercounted the number of nursing home deaths as it sought to deflect the criticism.

Cuomo still has a significant campaign war chest that could technically be used in his bid for mayor. But the process of transferring his state donations to a city committee would be complicated and require each donor to sign off on the switch, a potentially burdensome effort.

Izaguirre writes for the Associated Press.