Jim Walden endorses Andrew Cuomo weeks after dropping out of mayoral race

Weeks after suspending his independent mayoral campaign, Jim Walden formally endorsed Andrew Cuomo on Thursday and urged all remaining candidates besides Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdani to also line up behind the ex-governor.

In a statement, Walden — a lawyer who launched a long-shot bid but never pulled more than 1% support in polls of November’s mayoral election — stressed his endorsement of Cuomo is in large part aimed at stopping Mamdani, a democratic socialist.

A political moderate, Walden argued Mamdani can only win the November contest “if centrist votes are split” between Cuomo, Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and Mayor Adams, who’s also running as an independent. Cuomo has consistently polled as the most potent threat to Mamdani.

“Uniting in support of one candidate, Andrew Cuomo, is the only way to save New York from extremism, and prevent the city from becoming a cautionary tale for the entire country,” said Walden, who’s known for representing high-profile clients. “Mayor Adams and Curtis Sliwa have run spirited campaigns. They have earned respect. But the time has come. For the love of this city, they must step aside.”




https://www.nydailynews.com/2025/09/25/jim-walden-endorses-andrew-cuomo-weeks-after-dropping-out-of-mayoral-race/