Who is Andrew Cuomo? Former Governor of New York City concedes democratic mayoral primary to Zohran Mamdani

In a stunning political development, Andrew Cuomo, the New York City former governor has conceded in the City’s mayoral Democratic primary to state assemblyman Zohran Mamdani. He was trying to pull off a political comeback after resigning from office in 2021 amid a sexual harassment scandal.

The concession of Cuomo was unexpected as counting appeared to continue til next week under the ranked choice system, allowing the people of New York to pick up to five candidates in order of preference. Following the loss of the former governor, it marked the "biggest upset in modern NYC history," Trip Yang, a political strategist, told the BBC.

"A massive win for Zohran Mamdani that shows that when Donald Trump is President, New York Democrats want to see their leaders fight with enthusiasm and courage, and that's what Zohran showed voters,” he added.

In an interview, Cuomo told the New York Times that he was still evaluating whether he would contest the general election in November on the independent line.

Who is Andrew Cuomo?

Andrew M. Cuomo served as the 56th Governor of New York State. He was born into an Italian-American family and raised in Queens. The son of Matilda and the late Governor Mario Cuomo, Andrew Cuomo dedicated his life journey to public service and has proven leadership skills in order to make government work for the people of New York City.

Following his graduation from Fordham University and Albany Law School, he successfully led the campaign for his father for governor, and later served as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan, according to a report on the website of Andrew Cuomo.

He founded Housing Enterprise for the Less Privileged (HELP) in Brooklyn, New York, in 1986. This initiative aimed to provide a single shelter for families who have since developed to become a national leader in the fight against homelessness, serving people of all backgrounds, including veterans, people with health challenges and disabilities, survivors of domestic violence and seniors.
In 2006, Andrew Cuomo was elected as Attorney General of New York and later served in the position for 11 years. During this service, with the theory of progressive government, he made it a functional reality, while simultaneously reimagining and rebuilding New York’s outdated infrastructure and putting the fiscal house of the city in order for the first time in a generation.

During Andrew Cuomo’s tenure, New York reasserted itself as a national leader in social progress. His time in office saw major strides across key areas, boosting the economy, improving environmental standards, reforming the criminal justice system, and increasing college enrolment among high school graduates.

Cuomo consistently championed New Yorkers, achieving landmark milestones such as legalising same-sex marriage, safeguarding abortion rights through the state-level codification of Roe v. Wade, implementing the most comprehensive paid family leave policy in the U.S., raising the minimum wage to $15, offering tuition-free college for middle-class families, and enacting some of the nation’s toughest gun control laws.

Under his leadership, the state launched the country’s most ambitious infrastructure overhaul, rebuilding LaGuardia and JFK airports, completing the Moynihan Train Hall, expanding the Second Avenue Subway and Javits Center, and constructing major bridges like the Mario Cuomo and Kosciuszko. He also made significant investments in education, healthcare, and economic development, with over one million more New Yorkers gaining health insurance.

Throughout Cuomo's administration, New York achieved its highest credit rating in 40 years, saw unemployment drop across all regions, and kept state spending growth under a 2 per cent cap for ten consecutive years.

And when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Cuomo’s leadership and clear communication became a steady force, guiding both the state and, in many ways, the country through the crisis and toward recovery.

His political career declined after he was accused of sexually harassing 13 women working for the state over eight years in 2021. The Justice Department officials discovered that Cuomo and his staff engaged in “a pattern of discriminating against female employees based on sex. He continuously subjected women in his office to non-consensual sexual contact, ogling and calling them with gender based nicknames. However, he denied the claim of any wrongdoing, according to a report in Politico.