Walden endorses Cuomo, urges Sliwa and Adams to withdraw from the race

Weeks after announcing his withdrawal from the mayoral race, attorney Jim Walden endorsed former Governor Andrew Cuomo on the 26th and called on all other candidates to withdraw and join Cuomo in preventing the Democratic nominee, Zohran Mamdani, from winning.

In a statement, Walden emphasized that his primary purpose in endorsing Cuomo was to prevent Mamdani, a democratic socialist, from winning. Walden said Mamdani’s only chance of winning in November was if the middle vote was split between Cuomo, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, and independent Eric Adams. Cuomo was consistently considered the favorite to defeat Mamdani in polls.

“Uniting behind one candidate, Cuomo, is the only way to save New York from radicalization and prevent our city from becoming a national cautionary tale. Adams and Sliwa both fought strong campaigns and deserve respect. But the time has come for the city to withdraw,” Walden wrote. Walden also praised Cuomo, citing his ability to offer “real solutions based on experience” rather than Mandani’s “empty promises.” Cuomo responded by thanking Walden for putting “New York’s future above personal ambition.”

In a statement, Cuomo said, “Walden has always been a champion for accountability and justice in this city. His support demonstrates the urgency of this election and the need for experienced leaders to keep New York safe, affordable, and prosperous for generations to come.”

Adams’ spokesman, Todd Shapiro, immediately rejected Walden’s request and emphasized that Adams will continue his campaign: “Mayor Adams is focused on protecting families, strengthening communities, and ensuring New York remains a city of opportunity and safety for all. That’s what the voters chose, and that’s why Adams will win.” Spokespeople for Sreeva and Mandani did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Walden, a former assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York and a former politician, launched his mayoral campaign as an independent last October, aiming for centrist support. However, he never broke 1% in general polls. On September 2nd, Walden withdrew from the race, citing a desire to “divert votes from other candidates” and urged others to follow suit and endorse a single candidate. However, due to the expiration of the deadline, his name will still appear on the ballot.