Overview

• Cuomo declined to withdraw by the Friday deadline, locking in his independent candidacy under the Fight and Deliver party.
• His first-round defeat to progressive Zohran Mamdani in the June 24 Democratic primary prompted donors to consider shifting support to incumbent Mayor Eric Adams.
• Election law experts say late withdrawals cannot remove his name, leaving four major contenders on the general election ballot.
• Cuomo cited a broader electorate in November as justification for staying in, signaling he may not run an active campaign.
• Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams is running on an independent line following a federal indictment, with Republican radio host Curtis Sliwa facing long odds in a heavily Democratic city.