In a surprising turn of events, State Senator Jessica Ramos endorsed Andrew Cuomo for New York City Mayor on Friday, June 6th, despite having previously criticized him over his leadership and record. Ramos, a progressive lawmaker from Queens, made the endorsement during a campaign event in Manhattan, where she stood alongside Cuomo to support his bid for mayor publicly.
Ramos, once a vocal critic of Cuomo, now believes he is the best candidate to lead the city. She acknowledged that the race had effectively come down to two leading contenders: Cuomo, the frontrunner, and Queens Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, who is currently in second place. She emphasized that “only one of them has experience, toughness and the knowledge to lead New York through what’s about to come. And that’s Andrew Cuomo.” Ramos highlighted that Cuomo’s experience and ability to perform under pressure made him the only viable option for the city’s future. Despite the difficulty of her decision, she explained that she made it out of a sense of responsibility to the city’s needs.
Ramos had previously questioned Cuomo’s mental acuity and criticized his campaign, calling it a “vanity comeback tour.” Her criticism intensified following Cuomo’s resignation amid sexual harassment allegations in 2021, a scandal that led Ramos to be one of the first lawmakers to call for his resignation. Given her history of opposition to Cuomo’s political style, her endorsement has come as a shock to many.
In her endorsement, Ramos also expressed frustration with being abandoned by unions and progressive groups despite her strong record of advocating for labor rights as chair of the state Senate’s labor committee. Most labor unions, which had historically supported her, instead threw their support behind Cuomo’s campaign, contributing to her growing sense of betrayal. Ramos conveyed her disappointment at how her efforts for labor unions, which she had always supported, were not reciprocated in the mayoral race.
Ramos acknowledged the challenges she faces in the race, including limited funds and low polling numbers. With the introduction of ranked-choice voting, her endorsement of Cuomo may signal a strategic move within the race’s complex dynamics as candidates position themselves to maximize voter support.
