Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo secured the endorsement of the Queens Democratic Party on Sunday, strengthening his frontrunner status in the race for mayor.

“The next mayor of the city of New York, Andrew Cuomo!” Rep. Gregory Meeks declared at the event.

Cuomo, a Queens native, received the backing of the borough’s Democratic organization and its chairman, Meeks. The endorsement marks a significant show of support as Cuomo seeks a political comeback following his 2021 resignation.

What You Need To Know

  • Cuomo, a Queens native, received the backing of the borough’s Democratic organization and its chairman, Rep. Gregory Meeks

  • Meeks framed Cuomo as the strongest candidate to challenge the White House

  • The Queens Democratic endorsement deals a blow to City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams

“Look at this around you – that’s Queens County – the people’s borough, and we got our guy from Queens County that’s going to lead this city of New York,” Meeks said.

Meeks, a powerhouse in both city and national politics, framed Cuomo as the strongest candidate to challenge the White House.

“The last person that Washington, D.C. wants to see be mayor of the city of New York is Andrew Cuomo,” he said.

Cuomo echoed that sentiment, presenting himself as a fighter.

“How do you deal with a bully in Queens, right? He puts his finger in your chest, he thinks you’re going to step backwards. Not with a Queens boy,” Cuomo said.

The endorsement comes despite Meeks' past call for Cuomo to resign. In August 2021, Meeks and other congressional leaders urged the then-governor to step down after an attorney general’s investigation found he had sexually harassed multiple women who worked for him.

Those concerns appeared to be set aside Sunday.

“Queens endorsed me. Brooklyn’s endorsed me, and Staten Island endorsed me,” Cuomo said.

The Queens Democratic endorsement deals a blow to City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, a Southeast Queens native, as local officials remain split between her and Cuomo.

Adams, however, picked up support elsewhere Sunday as the Working Families Party endorsed a slate of progressive candidates, including Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, Comptroller Brad Lander and Adams.

“They have the people on their side, and they are standing up against the billionaires and those that are upholding the corporate interest,” said Jasmine Gripper, co-director for the NY Working Families Party.

The endorsement is part of the party’s strategy to unify the left and steer voters away from Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams. The Working Families Party has yet to announce its top choice for mayor and plans to do so closer to primary day.