A chilling warning echoed through the streets of Manhattan’s Washington Heights on Monday: a potential federal intervention should a particular candidate prevail in the mayoral race. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo asserted that President Trump would deploy the National Guard to New York City if democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani were elected mayor.
Though absent from the ballot himself, Trump’s presence loomed large over the election, with candidates scrambling to demonstrate their ability to resist his agenda. Cuomo framed the stakes starkly, painting a picture of a city under occupation if Mamdani secured victory – a scenario New Yorkers, he insisted, “cannot let happen.”
The President himself fueled the narrative, telling CBS’s Norah O’Donnell that providing federal funds to a city led by a “communist” would be a waste. This sentiment, according to Cuomo, underscored the urgent need for a mayor capable of securing vital funding and preventing a military presence within city limits.
Cuomo positioned himself as the experienced leader uniquely equipped to confront Trump, referencing his prior battles during the former president’s first term. He emphasized the necessity of a mayor with a proven track record, contrasting his own experience with Mamdani’s relatively short tenure as an assemblyman.
The accusations flew both ways. Mamdani countered by claiming Cuomo had, in effect, *received* an endorsement from Trump during the same “60 Minutes” interview. He warned that a Cuomo victory would only deepen the struggles faced by working-class New Yorkers, forcing more to abandon the city.
Cuomo’s campaign vehemently denied any endorsement, asserting that only he possessed the demonstrated ability to fight for New York and win against the Trump administration. The former governor himself insisted on his unwavering Democratic credentials, dismissing Mamdani’s ideology as simply “socialist,” not communist.
Trump’s repeated disparaging remarks – labeling Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic” – underscored his deep opposition to the candidate’s platform. Cuomo seized on this, running his independent campaign as a direct referendum against the perils of socialism, citing the failures of such systems in Venezuela and Cuba.
The potential consequences of a Mamdani victory, according to Cuomo, were dire: a devastating loss of federal funding that would cripple the city. He argued that Mamdani lacked the strength and experience to navigate a confrontation with the President, leaving New York vulnerable.
As Election Day approached, both candidates engaged in last-minute appeals to voters. Cuomo embarked on a city-wide tour, while Mamdani launched a canvassing effort in Queens, each hoping to sway the final undecided voters in a race defined by national political anxieties.
