NYC Mayor Eric Adams picks up former Democratic governor's endorsement
"It'll be at one o'clock on the steps of city hall at which time I will endorse Mayor Eric Adams for re-election," the Democrat said while speaking on Tuesday's "Cats & Cosby" radio show.
Adams, a Democrat who took office in 2022, noted earlier this year that while he remained a Democrat, he would skip the Democratic mayoral primary and run in the general election as an independent candidate.
New York state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic mayoral primary in June.
"Running to freeze the rent, make buses fast + free, and deliver universal childcare," Mamdani's biography section on his X account reads, describing him as a "Democratic Socialist."
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who finished in a distant second place behind Mamdani in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, opted to keep running for the role, despite the decisive primary defeat.
"The general election is in November and I am in it to win it," Cuomo said in a video message last month.
Earlier this year, Paterson endorsed Cuomo ahead of the Democratic mayoral primary.
While speaking on the radio show on Tuesday, Paterson explained that he had wanted to endorse Adams last year, but in light of issues such as the indictment of Adams, he backed Cuomo, who was his "second choice."
The case against Adams had already been dismissed well before Paterson backed Cuomo ahead of the primary.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
18 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Zohran Mamdani Odds of Becoming New York Mayor Hit Record High
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Zohran Mamdani's prospects of becoming New York City's next mayor have surged to unprecedented levels, according to the betting website Polymarket. As of the early hours of Wednesday morning, Mamdani had an 82 percent chance of winning the race, according to the platform. Meanwhile, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had a 10 percent chance of success, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, 6 percent, and conservative activist and radio host Curtis Sliwa, 1 percent. Attorney Jim Walden was also at 1 percent Walden, Cuomo and Adams are expected to battle for the mayor's office as independent candidates in the general election in November, while Sliwa is running as a Republican. Why It Matters Mamdani sent political shock waves across New York in June when he defeated Cuomo in the Democratic primary. Since then, some polls have shown the Queens Assemblymember miles ahead of his opponents, with Mamdani leading among almost all demographics. New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani marches along Avenue of the Americas during the Dominican Day Parade in Manhattan. New York State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani marches along Avenue of the Americas during the Dominican Day Parade in Manhattan. Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire/picture-alliance/dpa/AP What To Know The Polymarket odds come after polls have found Mamdani surging ahead of his opponents. Siena University's newest poll of New York state registered voters, released Tuesday, showed Mamdani holding a strong lead, garnering 44 percent of surveyed voters, tying the combined totals for Cuomo (25 percent), Sliwa (12 percent) and Adams (7 percent). The poll surveyed 813 registered voters from August 4 to August 7. Meanwhile, a Zenith Research and Public Progress Solutions poll of 1,453 New Yorkers (July 16–24) found Mamdani with 50 percent support—an outright majority in a five-way race—followed by Cuomo (22 percent), Sliwa (13 percent), Adams (7 percent), and Walden (1 percent). Six percent were undecided or preferred someone else. Mamdani also led head-to-head matchups, beating Cuomo 52 percent to 40 percent and Adams 59 percent to 32 percent. Cuomo has said he will drop out in September if he is not ahead in the polls. The same poll gave Mamdani a strong lead among most demographics, including young men and Jewish voters, while the Siena poll put Mamdani ahead among under-35-year-olds and ahead of Cuomo and Adams among conservatives. However, voters aged 55 and older backed Cuomo over Mamdani, 38 percent to 32 percent. Mamdani's rise has been fueled by progressive proposals such as rent freezes, publicly owned grocery stores, and universal child care. A July IMEU Policy Project/Data for Progress poll found that 89 percent of supporters cited his cost-cutting plans, 86 percent his pledge to tax the wealthy, and 62 percent his backing of Palestinian rights. Last week, Cuomo denied allegations in a New York Times report that he spoke with President Donald Trump about the New York mayoral race. "That's false," Cuomo told reporters at a press conference in Manhattan. But the former New York governor argued, both at a press conference and in a closed-door meeting the day before, that he is better equipped than Mamdani to take on the Republican president. Mamdani hit back: "My administration would be Donald Trump's worst nightmare," before accusing Cuomo of "conspiring with President Trump." What People Are Saying Amit Singh Bagga, principal of Public Progress Solutions, told Newsweek last month: "While politics since November 2016 - including primary night in NYC this year - has taught us to expect the unexpected, knowing what we know today and provided the field stays even relatively similar, Zohran Mamdani is the next mayor of New York City." Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders endorsed Mamdani in June on X: "We need new leadership that stands up to corporate interests and delivers on the issues New Yorkers care about." Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf told The Guardian last month: "Much of the electorate might reject a socialist candidate." David Schwartz from Gotham Polling and Analytics LLC previously told Newsweek: "The numbers show that if everyone stays in the race, Mamdani will be tougher to beat." Zohran Mamdani said on X: "We need a mayor who will fight for every single New Yorker every single day—not conspire with a demagogue in Washington who attacks our rights and steals from the working class to enrich his billionaire friends." Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, in a statement on August 12: "New York City is in a housing crisis and we need more than slogans to solve it. We must build more housing quickly, but we also need to ensure that our rent stabilized apartments are going to the New Yorkers who need them the most. "They are supposed to be for hard working men and women, but far too many rich people are taking advantage. We must stop the Zohran Mamdanis of the world from gaming the system and boxing out lower income New Yorkers who are barely scraping by and Zohran's law will do that." Curtis Sliwa said on X on Tuesday: "I've been in the streets for decades, and when I'm mayor we'll put more cops where they're needed to protect New Yorkers, not the hypocrite politicians like Mamdani who trash the police but hide behind them." What Happens Next The New York City mayoral general election is scheduled to take place on November 4, 2025. Both Cuomo and Adams could impact the final outcome if they remain in the race, while Sliwa is hoping for a long-shot upset in a fractured field.
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
House Democrat: Trump ‘militarization' of cities ‘violates everything that we believe in'
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday denounced President Trump's 'militarization' of cities such as Los Angeles and Washington, claiming it 'violates everything that we believe in.' MSNBC's Alicia Menendez asked Goldman if GOP lawmakers are as 'unanimously in favor' of Trump's federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) as the president seemingly believes. 'I would really, really hope not, because the militarization of our cities and our domestic law enforcement violates the Posse Comitatus law and violates everything that we believe in [as] Americans,' Goldman responded. 'But just as I thought there would be Republicans who would stand up for their constituents and prevent them from losing health care, prevent them from losing food benefits, prevent million — billions of dollars of offshore wind investment in their own districts, I thought they would stand up for their own districts, and they didn't,' the New York Democrat told 'The Weeknight' host, referring to provisions included in the massive spending and tax bill signed into law last month. Trump earlier this week deployed National Guard troops to the nation's capital and declared a crime emergency in the district, giving the administration temporary authority to take control over the local police force under the city's Home Rule Act. The president on Wednesday told reporters that he will seek 'long-term extensions' from Congress to lengthen the initiative. Democrats, from local officials to members of the House and Senate, have decried the move as 'unnecessary' and ' unlawful,' as data shows the crime rate shrinking. He also ordered National Guard troops and some U.S. Marines to go to Los Angeles earlier this year when protests spread throughout the city — and beyond — in opposition to the White House's robust immigration agenda, including an uptick in detainments and deportations by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Social Security has existed for 90 years. Why it may be more threatened than ever.
Just as it has for decades, Social Security faces a looming shortfall in money to pay full benefits. Since President Trump took office the program has faced more tumult. Agency staffing has been slashed. Unions and advocacy groups concerned about sharing sensitive information have sued. Trump administration officials including the president for months falsely claimed millions of dead people were receiving Social Security benefits. Former top adviser Elon Musk called the program a potential 'Ponzi scheme.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Trump and other Republicans have said they will not cut Social Security benefits. Yet the program remains far from the sound economic system that FDR envisioned 90 years ago, due to changes made — and not made — under both Democratic and Republican presidents. Advertisement Here's a look at past and current challenges to Social Security, the proposed solutions and what it could take to shore up the program. The go-broke date has been moved up The so-called go-broke date — or the date at which Social Security will no longer have enough funds to pay full benefits — has been moved up to 2034, instead of last year's estimate of 2035. After that point, Social Security would only be able to pay 81% of benefits, according to an annual report released in June. The earlier date came as new legislation affecting Social Security benefits have contributed to earlier projected depletion dates, the report concluded. Advertisement The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law by former President Joe Biden and enacted in January, had an impact. It repealed the Windfall Elimination and Government Pension Offset provisions, increasing Social Security benefit levels for former public workers. Republicans' new tax legislation signed into law in July will accelerate the insolvency of Social Security, said Brendan Duke at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. 'They haven't laid out an idea to fix it yet,' he said. The privatization conversation has been revived The notion of privatizing Social Security surfaced most recently when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent this month said new tax-deferred investment accounts dubbed " Trump accounts " may serve as a " backdoor to privatization," though Treasury has walked back those comments. The public has been widely against the idea of privatizing Social Security since former President George W. Bush embarked on a campaign to pitch privatization of the program in 2005, through voluntary personal retirement accounts. The plan was not well-received by the public. Glenn Hubbard, a Columbia University professor and top economist in Bush's White House, told The Associated Press that Social Security needs to be reduced in size in order to maintain benefits for generations to come. He supports limiting benefits for wealthy retirees. 'We will have to make a choice,' Hubbard said. 'If you want Social Security benefits to look like they are today, we're going to have to raise everyone's taxes a lot. And if that's what people want, that's a menu, and you pay the high price and you move on.' Advertisement Another option would be to increase minimum benefits and slow down benefit growth for everyone else, which Hubbard said would right the ship without requiring big tax increases, if it's done over time. 'It's really a political choice,' he said, adding 'Neither one of those is pain free.' Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, an advocacy group for the preservation of Social Security benefits, is more worried that the administration of benefits could be privatized under Trump, rather than a move toward privatized accounts. The agency cut more than 7,000 from its workforce this year as part of the Department of Government Efficiency's effort to reduce the size of the government. Martin O'Malley, who was Social Security agency commissioner under Biden, said he thinks the problems go deeper. 'There is no openness and there is no transparency' at the agency, he said. 'And we hear about field offices teetering on the brink of collapse.' A Social Security Administration representative didn't respond to a request for comment. Concerns persist An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll conducted in April found that an increasing share of older Americans — particularly Democrats — support the program but aren't confident the benefit will be available to them when they retire. 'So much of what we hear is that its running out of money,' said Becky Boober, 70, from Rockport, Maine, who recently retired after decades in public service. She relies on Social Security to keep her finances afloat, is grateful for the program and thinks it should be expanded. 'In my mind there are several easy fixes that are not a political stretch,' she said. They include raising the income tax cap on high-income earners and possibly raising the retirement age, which is currently 67 for people born after 1960, though she is less inclined to support that change. Advertisement Some call for shrinking the program Rachel Greszler is a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, the group behind the Project 2025 blueprint for Trump's second term. It called for an increase in the retirement age. Greszler says Social Security no longer serves its intended purpose of being a social safety net for low-income seniors and is far too large. She supports pursuing privatization, which includes allowing retirees to put their Social Security taxes into a personal investment account. She also argues for shrinking the program to a point where every retiree would receive the same Social Security benefit so long as they worked the same number of years, which she argues would increase benefits for the bottom one-third of earners. How this would impact middle-class earners is unclear. 'When talking about needing to reform the system, we need to reform it so that we don't have indiscriminate 23% across the board cuts for everybody,' Greszler said. 'We need to reform the system in a more thoughtful way, so that we are protecting those who are most vulnerable and reliant on Social Security.'
