Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City and the largest donor to former New York governor Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral campaign, has called on him to withdraw from the race, sources familiar with the conversation confirmed to Ynet. According to Bloomberg insiders, he fears that a split in the center-left vote could enable the election of anti-Israel candidate Zohran Mamdani in November.
Bloomberg’s direct appeal to Cuomo—made in a private call and not disclosed publicly—reflects growing concern in New York’s Jewish community and business elite about the potential political and economic consequences of Mamdani’s victory. Mamdani supports ending aid to Israel, has called for a boycott of defense companies, and proposes drastic cuts in police funding.
4 View gallery
Mayoral hopefuls Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo
(Photo John Lamparski / AFP; David 'Dee' Delgado/Reuters)
Bloomberg contributed $8.3 million to Cuomo’s campaign—the largest single private donation in this election cycle. Despite this heavy investment, those close to Bloomberg feel that Cuomo is failing to stem Mamdani’s momentum, especially among younger, progressive and minority voters. One campaign insider says Bloomberg believes a coordinated withdrawal in favor of incumbent Mayor Eric Adams—who ran as a Democrat but is running this November as an independent—might be the only way to prevent a fatal split in the center-left vote.
“If Cuomo doesn’t step aside, he risks undermining the entire coalition,” said a former city official close to Bloomberg. “Mike is trying to avert disaster. He sees Mamdani as a threat to New York’s character as an open, safe, business‑friendly city.”
4 View gallery
Zohran Mamdani is currently the clear favorite in the New York mayoral race
(Photo: Yuki Iwamura / POOL / AFP)
Jewish billionaire Bill Ackman, founder of hedge fund Pershing Square and a major political donor in the city, also joined the calls this week. In extended posts on X, he said he met both Cuomo and Adams, and was convinced only Adams can beat Mamdani—provided the center-left remains unified. “I respect Cuomo’s service to the state, but in our conversation it was clear he wasn’t fighting. He exuded fatigue, lack of enthusiasm, and his ideas weren’t sharp,” Ackman wrote.
Calling for Cuomo to step aside was also Reverend Al Sharpton, a Democrat who had supported Cuomo in the past, but now backs Mamdani. “For his legacy's sake, Cuomo must allow the city to decide between two candidates,” Sharpton said. “He can choose whom to support, but shouldn’t stand in the way.”
Cuomo, who was once seen as the frontrunner, lost to Mamdani in the Democratic primary in June. He subsequently formed a shell party named Fight and Deliver and registered as an independent in the upcoming November election. Legally, the deadline to remove names from the ballot has already passed, so Cuomo will remain a candidate even if he suspends campaigning.
A poll released this week shows Mamdani leading with 35.2%, Cuomo at 25%, and Adams—whose campaign hopes to unite the center-left—lagging in fourth place with 11%, behind Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa at 14%.
In contrast to Cuomo, Adams is facing no public or political pressure to withdraw. There are two reasons: First, Adams did not participate in the Democratic primary—unlike Cuomo, who officially lost—so his supporters see him as not having been rejected by voters. Second, many in the city's business and political establishment view him as the most viable moderate candidate. A donor coalition from Wall Street and real estate, including billionaires Daniel Loeb and John Catsimatidis, has already funneled millions into Adams’ campaign with the explicit intent of blocking Mamdani by rallying behind a single centrist.
The intensifying calls for Cuomo to drop out are deepening the rift within the center-left. Cuomo is portraying Adams as unpopular, uninspired and siphoning votes to the Republicans and Trump supporters. Adams, in turn, emphasizes that Cuomo has already lost the primary and therefore lacks a fresh public mandate.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Cuomo’s campaign has dismissed the pressure to withdraw, stating: “Everyone has a right to a political opinion—we understand President Trump supports Eric Adams, and we do not believe socialism is the answer. Most New Yorkers are neither Trump supporters nor socialists—the overwhelming majority is in the middle. We will continue to assess the situation in the city’s best interest.”
Cuomo’s team acknowledges the mounting public pressure but insists there are no plans to withdraw—nor is it clear if other players in his coalition—such as union leaders, donors, or former officials like Bill Clinton (who expressed support at the last minute)—will join efforts to persuade the former governor to drop out or at least suspend his campaign.
4 View gallery
Current New York Mayor Eric Adams will run for mayor as an independent
(Photo: Yuki Iwamura/ AP)
Meanwhile, Mamdani’s campaign—which declined to comment to Ynet—remains cautious but notes that polls show a “distinct pattern of steady public support.”
Former allies of Cuomo admit he’s hit a dead end. His campaign isn’t taking off, and there’s no realistic path to stopping Mamdani’s ascent—while pressure from his longtime backers continues to grow. “This is one of those moments where the personal decision affects the entire city,” a former Cuomo administration official told Ynet. “The question is whether he wants to be the person who stopped Mamdani—or the one who enabled his rise.”