In NYC mayoral race, Cuomo sorry for COVID rules as governor

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is currently running for New York City mayor, apologized Wednesday to Orthodox Jews for his strict COVID-19 policies. His good intentions didn’t change the negative impact of rules preventing Jews from gathering together, he said. Cuomo would fight anti-Semitism if elected mayor, he said. The apology video was timed to coincide with the beginning of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year.

Cuomo did not post the video directly to his campaign page or website, but it circulated widely on social media. However, he did on Thursday criticize his opponent in the mayoral race, Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani, for not publicly condemning an attack on a synagogue in the United Kingdom. Mamdani published such a post less than an hour later. 

What do recent polls indicate about the race? A poll taken Sept. 18-22 showed Mamdani beating Cuomo, is running as an independent in the race, by 18% among voters, according to the New York Times. The poll was taken before current mayor Eric Adams, also running as an independent, dropped out of the race. But even if Adams’ supporters shift to Cuomo, the incumbent’s scanty poll numbers likely aren’t enough to greatly change that projected outcome. Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa has been polling in third place behind Mamdani and Cuomo.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s story on Adams’ exit from the race.