Jessica Ramos endorses Andrew Cuomo in NYC mayor's race. Here's why analysts say she did it.

CBS News

3 hours ago

New York State Sen. Jessica Ramos has endorsed Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayor's race as the Democratic primary enters the home stretch.
Ramos announced her support for the ex-New York governor the day after Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani got endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and two days after a debate between the nine Democratic candidates.
Why did Ramos endorse Cuomo for NYC mayor?
When then-Gov. Cuomo was embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal, Ramos called for his resignation. Earlier in the mayoral campaign, she claimed his "mental acuity is in decline."
So why is Ramos now endorsing Cuomo for mayor?
"Because it's the right thing to do. She has a future ahead of her," J.C. Polanco, a political analyst and associate professor at University of Mount Saint Vincent, said Sunday on CBS News New York's "The Point with Marcia Kramer." "She's seen that she has single digits, has $5,000 in the bank, and she has a lot of time to recover."
Polanco does not believe Ramos was promised a job in exchange for her endorsement.
"I think it's an opportunity for her to continue staying relevant, understanding that she has no shot of winning this race, and endorsing the frontrunner helps her out," he said.
Democratic mayoral candidate Jessica Ramos speaks during a Democratic mayoral primary debate, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in New York.
Yuki Iwamura / AP
Ramos did not drop out of the race. In her announcement, she urged voters to rank Cuomo first because she believes he is the best person to take on President Trump.
"Donald Trump isn't just a national threat. He's promised punishment. He's promised revenge and I take that seriously. And we're not going to beat that with hash tags and headline stunts. We need serious governing. We need delivery over dogma. Knowing how to govern matters, and that's why I'm endorsing Andrew Cuomo for mayor today," Ramos said Friday. "This wasn't an easy decision."
Ocasio-Cortez ranked Mamdani first, followed in order by Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Scott Stringer and Zellnor Myrie.
Potential impact to Citi Field casino bid
O'Brien Murray, a political consultant, said on "The Point" that Ramos' endorsement "unequivocally helps" Cuomo and could be strategic as New York gets closer to awarding downstate casino licenses.
"It's amazing that one of the most progressive candidates is the one endorsing him. Helps him there. It's a woman. Given his history, what he had in Albany, all of that is a positive for him. And it changed the narrative from the AOC endorsement," Murray said.
Another reason for the endorsement could be the Queens politician's opposition to New York Mets owner Steve Cohen's Metropolitan Park proposal, which would put a casino in the Citi Field parking lot.
"She did this also because of the [Sen. John Liu] endorsement for Mamdani. Liu took away the parks issue right now for the casino in Queens at Citi Field," Murray said. "That is a major issue and Cohen is somebody that supports Cuomo. She is going to try to put herself in there and stop the Cohen casino at Citi Field."
A general view of USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and Citi Field as photographed from an airplane arriving into LaGuardia Airport on February 4, 2024 in the Queens borough of New York City, United States.
BRUCE BENNETT / Getty Images
Ramos previously said she believes the casino business model is built on extracting wealth from communities.
There are currently eight casino proposals for three downstate licenses.