Former New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s latest attempt to block Zohran Mamdani’s path to becoming mayor of New York City received a major financial boost ahead of Friday’s debate, according to a report from The New York Times. The funding came from two billionaires with close ties to US President Donald Trump, the report said.
Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb and chief designer of the Trump administration, donated $1 million each to Fix the City and Defend NYC, two super PACs against Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, the report said.
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Investor and Trump supporter Bill Ackman also contributed, sending $1 million to Defend NYC and $250,000 to repair the city, according to state filings, the NYT reported.
The contributions are among the largest in the mayoral race and suggest some donors still think Cuomo, who lost the Democratic primary in June, has a chance.
Despite trailing Mamdani by double digits in most polls, Cuomo continues to campaign as an independent.
Cuomo, 67, previously served as governor of New York from 2011 until his resignation in 2021 amid sexual misconduct allegations.
Many wealthy businessmen are worried about the possibility of Mamdani, a democratic socialist advocating higher taxes for the rich, becoming mayor. While some have pledged large financial support to oppose him, few have followed through with large donations, given Cuomo’s weak standing.
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Super PACs appear to be investing their resources in voter outreach efforts aimed at those who might still support Cuomo. Fix the City, which spent over $20 million during the primary mostly on TV ads promoting Cuomo and attacking Mamdani, has now shifted its strategy to focus on door-to-door canvassing and digital advertising, according to the report.
For Cuomo, who is now running as an independent, the debate was a critical opportunity, one of the last, to convince voters that choosing Mamdani, who had already defeated him in the Democratic primary, would be a mistake.
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The NYC Mayoral Debate
During the debate, Mamdani sharply criticized Cuomo for his alleged sexual misconduct and his handling of the COVID-19 crisis, accusing the former governor of “sending seniors to die in nursing homes.”
Aiming to distinguish himself from both rivals, Sliwa said, “Thank God I’m not a professional politician because they’ve created a crime crisis in this city,” pointing to Mamdani and Cuomo. He later commented on the tone of the debate: “There are high levels of testosterone in this room.”
Mamdani, a 33-year-old Democratic Socialist, entered the debate in a stronger position, but still had to endure two hours of aggressive attacks from Cuomo while maintaining the upbeat, likable tone that has defined his campaign so far.
He campaigned on ambitious proposals such as free busing, a rent freeze and city-run supermarkets, ideas that Cuomo dismissed as unrealistic and fiscally irresponsible.
A poll of likely New York voters conducted by Quinnipiac University in early October after Adams ended his bid for a second term found Mamdani continuing to hold a lead over Cuomo. The poll suggested Cuomo may have benefited somewhat from Adams’ departure, but the current mayor’s departure does not appear to have had a significant impact on the state of the race, the AP reported.
The Trump Factor
Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding from Mamdani’s administration if elected, calling him a “communist.”
But Mamdani said, “I would make it clear to the president that I’m willing to not only talk to him, but to work with him if that means lowering the cost of living for New York.”
Cuomo warned: “Trump will take over New York and it will be Mayor Trump” if Mamdani wins – reflecting a takeover of much of Washington’s capital, AFP reported.
Trump said Wednesday that he has “terminated” the $16 billion Hudson Gateway tunnel connecting New York to New Jersey, a years-long megaproject.
In the debate, when Mamdani was asked about his dream news headline, he said it would be “Mamdani continues to fight Trump”.
A Quinnipiac University poll suggests most voters won’t be swayed by the televised debate, with only 18% of Mamdani and Cuomo supporters “unlikely” to sway their choice, compared to 24% of Sliwa supporters.
(With input from agencies, NYT)
