NOTE: This piece was first published on NYNewsPress.com. Distribution on Substack was delayed by the platform's recent trend of censorship of conservative, independent, and libertarian journalism and narratives.
By Rick LaRivière and Dick LaFontaine with Richard Luthmann
The Fall of a Dynasty
Andrew Cuomo had every advantage: $25 million in the bank, sky-high name recognition, and backing from unions, media, and billionaires. But none of it could save him from political annihilation.
On June 24, 2025, the former three-term governor conceded the Democratic primary for New York City mayor to 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist and state assemblyman backed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
“Tonight is his night. He deserved it, he won,” Cuomo muttered as he stepped off the stage and out of relevance.
It wasn’t just a loss. It was a 40-point collapse and a political obituary.
Cuomo entered the race as the undisputed frontrunner. He left with a 7-point defeat, trailing Mamdani 43.5% to 36.4% in first-round results.
“This is not just a win,” Mamdani told his supporters, quoting Nelson Mandela. “It always seems impossible until it is done. My friends, we have done it.”
That thunderous applause wasn’t just for Mamdani. It was also a final sendoff for the Cuomo era.
Cuomo’s Campaign: Arrogant, Disconnected, and Doomed
Cuomo ran a textbook “Rose Garden” campaign. He avoided voters. He relied on television ads and elite endorsements.
And he grossly underestimated the grassroots machine building under his nose.
“It was just like Joe Crowley all over again,” said Democratic strategist Ken Frydman. “Arrogant and asleep.”
Cuomo didn’t even launch a ground operation until the final week. Meanwhile, Mamdani had 50,000 volunteers knocking on doors across the five boroughs.
“Cuomo blew a 40-point lead,” said one campaign insider. “All the money in the world and you don’t know how to spend it.”
Despite backing from Michael Bloomberg and the New York Times editorial board, Cuomo never adjusted. He doubled down on mailers and relied on negative ads funded by the “Fix the City” super PAC.
In contrast, Mamdani was everywhere — walking the length of Manhattan, rallying in Queens, showing up in neighborhoods Cuomo never touched.
“It’s affordability, stupid,” said political consultant Kevin McCabe. Mamdani’s promise of a rent freeze and free public buses cut straight to the issue New Yorkers cared about most.
Cuomo also never outran the shadow of the COVID nursing home scandal. More than 15,000 New York nursing home residents died during the pandemic, after Cuomo’s administration issued a now-infamous March 2020 directive ordering facilities to accept COVID-positive patients.
Voters didn’t forget.
The state attorney general found his office had undercounted the death toll by thousands, fueling outrage that never fully faded.
For many New Yorkers, especially those who lost loved ones, the scandal was personal and unforgivable.
“Cuomo lied, people died” wasn’t just a slogan. It was a reminder.
On June 24, voters finally returned the verdict: no more second chances.
Adios Andrew: AOC’s Heir vs. Cuomo’s Ghost
Mamdani, born to Indian-Ugandan parents and raised in Queens, became a U.S. citizen in 2018. In 2021, he was elected to the New York State Assembly. Just four years later, he toppled one of the biggest names in New York politics.
His campaign was pure energy, propelled by support from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders.
It resonated especially with young, working-class voters across Brooklyn and Queens.
Cuomo tried to brand Mamdani as radical and anti-Israel. It didn’t stick.
“I ranked Mamdani first and didn’t rank Cuomo at all,” said Samantha Espella, a Bronx public defender. “It’s important to reflect who we want to represent us. Cuomo doesn’t.”
Even among Jewish voters who opposed Mamdani’s Gaza rhetoric, enthusiasm for Cuomo was lukewarm.
“We’re left between the lesser of two evils,” admitted Upper East Side voter Zack Friend.
The result wasn’t just a progressive wave. It was a generational transfer of power — from a fading boomer brand to a millennial insurgency.
The Real Winners: Trump, Adams, and AOC
Donald Trump may have never set foot on a New York City primary ballot, but his shadow loomed large. His DOJ dropped the federal corruption case against Mayor Eric Adams — not to save Adams, but to block Cuomo from a free ride back into power and enable a focused agenda.
“It was strategic,” said journalist Richard Luthmann. “President Trump embraced common sense and political pragmatism, recognizing that stopping Cuomo was crucial to the ability to govern in a continued partnership with New York City leadership and deliver on the popular mandate. Now, the administration’s agenda has a strong likelihood of continuity either through Eric Adams or the Republican challenger. The Zohran swings too far left to carry the general election.”
Now Adams, running as an independent, sees a real shot at reelection. Mamdani is seen as beatable in a general election. Cuomo? Not so much.
“He can,” said an Adams insider. “But only if Cuomo bows out.”
AOC, meanwhile, emerges with another feather in her cap.
First, she dethroned Joe Crowley. Now her protégé takes down Cuomo.
The left’s grassroots machine is real — and it’s winning primary elections.
Even Eric Adams’ allies, once incensed by the Democratic machine’s favoritism toward Cuomo, are relieved.
“The Cuomo problem fixed itself,” said one Brooklyn operative.
Adios Andrew
Andrew Cuomo’s name is no longer in the conversation for 2028. His pipe dream of a White House run is dead. His mayoral comeback is toast.
And his brand — already tainted by scandal, arrogance, and accusations of racism — is politically toxic.
“This is the third time Cuomo’s taken aim at a Black political leader,” said Luthmann, pointing to Carl McCall in 2002, David Paterson in 2010, and Eric Adams in 2025.
“It’s a pattern,” he said. “And it’s over.”
Cuomo may still appear on the November ballot as an independent. But even his own advisers are skeptical.
“You can’t run a loser against a winner,” said one.
The voters have spoken. The dynasty has fallen. The Democratic Party has moved on.
Adios, Andrew. The curtain has dropped. And no one is calling for an encore.
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