Former Gov. David Paterson endorses Eric Adams for re-election in mayoral election
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Former New York Gov. David Paterson endorsed incumbent Mayor Eric Adams for re-election, despite Adams trailing in the latest poll.
Paterson believes Adams can win re-election, and he promised Wednesday to help make it happen.
"We have a mayor who knows what to do, he's already done it, we just want him to do it again," Paterson said.
It was a stunning move by New York's former governor, who endorsed another former governor in the Democratic primary.
But after Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist, won the nomination, Paterson believes Andrew Cuomo had his chance and blew it.
"I have no doubt that he would serve the city well in four years as mayor, but since that time, he was defeated in the primary by an upset that has ramifications that I think people are still trying to understand," Paterson said. "And I don't think that when that challenge was coming, in the last weeks, that he was addressing it and was as present as I thought he should have been during the campaign. He is still a candidate in this race, but my choice is Eric Adams."
Paterson's endorsement comes one day after a Siena College poll put Adams in fourth place with just 7% and a falling favorability rating.
After the primary, Paterson joined Republicans and centrist Democrats determined to stop Mamdani-urging the others not to split the vote.
"What we are really doing is calling on the candidates who are still in the race to find a way to unite behind one of them," Paterson said in June.
On Wednesday, Paterson stopped short of asking anyone to drop out.
"All I'm going to say is if one of the other candidates did get out and it would become a one-on-one contest between the mayor and Mr. Forest Fire, Mr. Mamdani, I think the mayor would win," Paterson said.
Adams said the endorsement from the former governor was a win.
"I can't be any clearer that we have yet to tell our story and having Governor Paterson being able to articulate and show us how to continue to get our story out is a real win," Adams said.
Mamdani campaigned on Staten Island on Wednesday -- a conservative enclave in a democratic city -- and had to contend with a hostile reception from several hecklers.
RELATED | Mamdani, Cuomo spar over affordable housing ahead of New York City mayoral election
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