Nobody backing down in push to challenge Mamdani
Paterson held a press conference Monday with grocery store CEO and radio station owner John Catsimatidis, among others. They said Mamdani is too inexperienced and has said too many offensive things, especially as it relates to the Jewish community, to run the city.
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Paterson and others also expressed concerns that Mamdani's policies, like freezing rent-controlled apartments, publicly owned grocery stores, and alternative policing strategies, would be a disaster for New York City.
The former Governor is calling on all those running for mayor as independents, including former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Eric Adams, Lawyer Jim Walden, and the Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, to put egos aside and come together around one man to challenge Mamdani.
However, Paterson did not endorse anyone, and did not lay out a plan for how to get to one unified challenge, only vaguely saying business and civic leaders should financially back one person.
'This is the beginning of a process, and it is publicizing our wish to try and find the right candidate for the people of the City of New York,' Paterson said.
As for the candidates, only one is openly floating a similar idea. Walden has proposed that all non-Mamdani candidates agree that the winner of a poll in October will effectively be the only candidate. However, Republican Curtis Sliwa has said he would not back down.
Cuomo's campaign released a statement saying they would consider what Paterson is saying, but said Mayor Adams is not a viable choice:
'Mayor Adams did not run in the Democratic primary because he knew he was anathema to Democrats and unelectable. Nothing has changed. We do not see any path to victory for Mayor Adams.'
Adams said Cuomo made a huge mistake by creating an independent line for himself, and everyone should rally around him. The Mayor also revealed that during a recent conversation, Cuomo asked him to drop out of the race.
'He spent 25-30 million to put his message out, voters heard it, he lost by 12 points,' Adams said, dismissing Cuomo. 'I have an opportunity to go 1-on-1 with Mamdani, we are diametrically opposed.'
Mamdani's campaign released a brief statement in response to Paterson. It said the Democratic nominee looks forward to building on his coalition in the November general election.
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