Former New York Governor David Paterson has publicly challenged Democratic mayoral primary winner and state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani’s candidacy, saying he doesn’t believe the progressive assemblyman is “the best person to lead New York City.”
Paterson released the statement following a morning news conference, expressing concerns about Mamdani’s ability to govern during “extremely turbulent times” and questioning whether his platform addresses the needs of hardworking families struggling economically.
Newsweek reached out to Mamdani’s campaign via email Monday for comment.
Why It Matters
Paterson’s criticism highlights a significant rift within Democratic Party leadership as New York City approaches its November mayoral election.
The former governor’s statement comes as Mamdani leads recent polling with 35.2 percent support, ahead of independent candidates Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams. This internal party tension could influence voter perceptions and hinder Democratic unity heading into the general election, where Mamdani faces challenges from centrist and independent opponents.
What To Know
From 2008 to 2010, Paterson served as New York governor, accepting the seat after Governor Eliot Spitzer stepped down amid a prostitution scandal. Paterson became New York’s first Black governor and the second legally blind one in American history.
Paterson’s tenure was marked by scandals. In February 2010, reported The New York Times, he was accused of witness tampering in a domestic violence case involving his close aide, with questions raised about whether he and State Police inappropriately contacted a woman who had obtained a restraining order against the aide.
While Paterson was not criminally charged, according to NBC News, investigations determined he had spoken to the complainant the day before she was set to appear in court, she failed to show up and the case was dropped.
Paterson was also scrutinized over accepting free New York Yankees World Series tickets. The New York State Commission on Public Integrity found that he had lied about accepting five free tickets and fined him $62,125.
Pressed by the Obama administration and Democratic Party leaders, Paterson announced that he would not seek election to a full term.
In his formal statement, Paterson acknowledged Mamdani’s successful primary campaign but expressed deep reservations about his readiness for the mayor’s office. “I have been very clear in my position that I simply do not believe Zohran Mamdani is the best person to lead New York City during these extremely turbulent times,” Paterson said.
“We just saw a federal budget passed and signed that will create havoc on New Yorkers in the coming years in our education system, our health care system, our community and our hard-working families already struggling to make ends meet. We cannot afford ideas without a plan for implementation or funding,” the former governor added.
According to an American Pulse poll conducted from June 28 to July 1, Mamdani maintains a lead over former Governor Cuomo (29 percent) and Adams (13.8 percent). But Cuomo received the highest percentage among likely New Your City voters when asked who would do the best job running the city, with 33.5 percent compared to Mamdani’s 32.5 percent. Adams received 12.4 percent.
The assemblyman has built his campaign around affordability measures, including rent freezes, no-cost child care, free buses and city-owned grocery stores. His platform also includes implementing a Department of Community Safety with outreach workers in subway stations, contrasting with Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul’s police partnership.
Mamdani has secured endorsements from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, but lacks formal support from Hochul and two other prominent New York lawmakers, Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Hakeem Jeffries.
Political analyst Nate Silver has suggested Mamdani could face vulnerability in the general election as voter turnout increases beyond the primary base.
What People Are Saying
Paterson’s statement: “Mr. Mamdani ran a successful Primary campaign, with tremendous ads and a well-done social media strategy that engaged young voters in a way we have not seen to date. However, the General Election is a very different fight that encompasses the entirety of the city. I truly believe my fellow Democrats will be doing a disservice to the people they wish to serve if they do not come together and decide to support whichever candidate has the most support among them in advance of November 4th.”
He continued: “We are living in a critically important time in our country’s history and the most populous city in America will need true leadership to navigate this moment. That leadership will need to show itself in the coming months, before ballots are printed and voters start returning ballots by mail.”
Paterson concluded his statement with his final wish for the election: “As public polls and surveys are revealed over these coming weeks, it is my hope and belief that the other candidates still in the race will come to the logical conclusion that New York City needs the most effective leader to navigate what comes next and that cannibalizing each other’s support will be doing a disservice to the millions of people who call New York ‘home.'”
Mamdani posted his latest endorsement to X on Monday: “It’s a profound honor to receive the endorsement of @ManhattanDems and its Leader Keith L.T. Wright, who has worked for decades to build a fairer, more just New York. We are uniting this party around a vision to make our city affordable for all. Onward to November!”
What Happens Next
New York City voters will decide their next mayor on November 4, with the race drawing national attention as a test of progressive versus centrist Democratic visions.
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