In a dramatic post-primary pivot, Democratic leaders in Staten Island are throwing their support behind Zohran Mamdani, the party’s nominee for mayor, after initially backing former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the June Democratic primary. Cuomo is now running in the general election as an independent.
“Zohran is the Democratic nominee. The voters have spoken,” said Laura LoBianco Sword, chair of Staten Island’s Democratic Party. “We want to work together. I want to make sure Staten Island has a seat at the table.”
Though the borough supported Cuomo in the primary—46.5% to Mamdani’s 37.5% in the initial round of ranked-choice voting—Democratic officials are now uniting behind Mamdani. The candidate, a democratic socialist and Queens assemblyman, is preparing to officially launch his general election campaign on Staten Island with a major rally on August 17.
“While Zohran builds real support across all five boroughs, Cuomo’s campaign is withering as New Yorkers learn he stands for nothing but ambition—clouded by scandal and corruption,” said Dora Pekec, a Mamdani campaign spokesperson.
Mamdani’s progressive platform includes raising taxes on millionaires and corporations by $9 billion to fund fare-free buses, child care, and affordable housing. His proposal to create government-run grocery stores has also sparked debate but drawn attention to the city’s persistent “food deserts.”
Despite ideological differences, Democratic officials say they respect Mamdani’s ability to energize new voters. LoBianco Sword praised his focus on economic justice, noting that even if his ideas are controversial, they address real concerns facing city residents.
Brooklyn Democratic Chair Rodneyse Bichotte, who backed Cuomo in the primary, quickly shifted to endorse Mamdani after his victory. The candidate has also been reaching out to Queens Democrats, particularly in predominantly Black neighborhoods that favored Cuomo.
Still, the road ahead is far from smooth. Mamdani will face stiff competition in the general election against Republican Curtis Sliwa, as well as Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is also running as an independent.
Staten Island GOP Chairman and State Assemblyman Michael Tannousis dismissed the Democratic alliance with Mamdani as “a shotgun wedding,” predicting many moderate Democrats will back Sliwa.
“There is no appetite for socialism and the socialist agenda,” said Tannousis. “Curtis will win Staten Island—maybe by an even bigger margin than in 2021.”
In that election, Sliwa won 65% of the Staten Island vote but was defeated citywide by Adams.
This year, Staten Island voters may once again be key players in a hotly contested race—one that now pits a rising progressive against seasoned political figures and shifting party loyalties.
