Former Governor Andrew Cuomo Threatens to Move to Florida if He Loses NYC Mayoral Race

During a breakfast event in the Hamptons, Cuomo jokingly said he would leave New York for Florida if he fails to secure the mayoralty against socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani.

“It’s all or nothing. If we don’t win, I might just move to Florida. God forbid!” Cuomo quipped, eliciting laughter from attendees. His campaign later clarified he was joking.

Andrew Cuomo giving a concession speech at his NYC mayoral primary election night event. — Cuomo mentioned moving to Florida if he loses the race, though his campaign said he was joking.

Among those present were notable figures such as real estate leader Bruce Mosler and former U.S. Ambassador George Tsunis. During the event, Cuomo also criticized Mamdani’s proposals, notably calling plans to freeze rents on stabilized apartments a “death sentence” for housing stability, arguing it could reduce landlords’ incentive to maintain properties.

Cuomo, who lost the Democratic primary last month and is running as an independent, also criticized Mayor Eric Adams, claiming the city has lacked a competent leadership since Bloomberg’s departure in 2013 and criticizing Adams for focusing too much on legal controversies.

Zohran Mamdani at a press conference. — Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, remains the frontrunner in the NYC mayoral race.

Cuomo’s spokesman dismissed the comment about moving to Florida as a joke, emphasizing Cuomo’s commitment to New York. Meanwhile, Mayor Adams responded that Cuomo should go ahead if he is serious, referencing recent weekends Cuomo spent in the Hamptons.