Andrew Cuomo may be from Queens, but he now has the backing of Brooklyn in a major way.

Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn, head of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, endorsed Cuomo for mayor of New York on Sunday during a rally in Downtown Brooklyn.

"We really need someone who's experienced," Bichotte-Hermelyn said. "We need someone who can hit the ground running. New York City is the toughest city to manage, and with the current administration that we have to deal with, we need someone who can combat that."

What You Need To Know

  • Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn, head of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, endorsed Cuomo for mayor of New York on Sunday

  • The endorsement is a major setback for Mayor Eric Adams reelection bid, as assemblywoman is one of the mayor's closest allies

  • Bichotte-Hermelyn will have a role on Cuomo’s campaign as political senior executive adviser while her husband, Edu Hermelyn, will serve as a political adviser

  • In announcing the endorsement, the assemblywoman said the city needs someone with experience and the ability to stand up to the Trump administration

Bichotte-Hermelyn has been one of Mayor Eric Adams' most loyal supporters. Her endorsement of Cuomo is a major setback for Adams, whose winning coalition from four years ago included her support.

"This is not an anti-Eric Adams campaign; this is a pro-Cuomo campaign to run the city," she said.

“[Adams] has announced, somewhat, that he’s running an independent campaign and for us, as a Democratic leader, I have to support a Democrat,” Bichotte-Hermelyn said of her decision to back Cuomo instead of Adams.

Her support for Cuomo is quite a change from nearly four years ago when she called for the resignation of the then-governor following substantiated claims of sexual harassment.

“In this case I know a lot of people probably prematurely had asked for him to step down, including me. But it's a lesson learned that we should really allow people have their fair share in the courts, as well as due process,” she said.

Edu Hermelyn, the assemblywoman's husband, works on Cuomo's campaign as a political adviser. Bichotte-Hermelyn will also have a role on the campaign as political senior executive adviser.

"This is about unifying the Democratic Party, mobilizing the Democratic Party so that we can get this city working and get this city up to full capacity. And this is a big, big step in that direction," Cuomo said.

Cuomo had this to say about a former critic turning into an ally: "She looked at all the facts and she looked at the challenges and looked at the problems we have to solve and what we're dealing with here in New York—because we have some serious problems. And her judgment was I would be the best person to lead the city."

With Bichotte-Hermelyn’s endorsement comes the support of the Brooklyn democratic party and other key allies in the crowded race.

“He also built a playground in my community. My community has the least amount of parks out of all 51 districts in the City Council. So this is someone who really cared and was intentional about District 45,” said City Councilwoman Farah Louis.

“This is big for him. We are the number one populated borough in the city. I can say we are the most diverse borough in the city. This is going to be a big boost,” said Henry Butler, vice chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party.

“Eric Adams has done a wonderful job as far as I’m concerned. He’s tried to do everything he possibly can with the unbelievable circumstances that have faced him in these last three-and-a-half years. We need to now move on, and I think Andrew Cuomo is the person to make that happen,” said Frank Seddio, the former head of the Brooklyn Democratic Party.