‘You really have no choice’

President Donald Trump on Monday endorsed former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a lifelong Democrat running as an independent, in New York City’s mayoral election.

The president urged voters not to cast a ballot Tuesday for Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, saying it would be “a vote for [Zohran] Mamdani.”

“Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

A recent poll from Suffolk University showed Mamdani leading the race with 44% support, with Cuomo trailing behind him by 10 percentage points. Sliwa, meanwhile, sat at 11%.

Trump’s endorsement came shortly after his interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” where he reiterated his threat to withhold federal funds from the city if Mamdani is elected.

During the interview, Trump also indicated his preference for Cuomo over Mamdani, whom he’s called a “communist” through much of the mayoral race.

Mamdani on Sunday used Trump’s remarks as ammunition, mocking Cuomo on social media by congratulating him and saying, “I know how hard you worked for this.”

Cuomo has rebuffed the prospect of Trump’s endorsement in recent weeks. In an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” last month, Cuomo said he would reject an endorsement from Trump, saying his tent was not big enough to include the president in his coalition of supporters.

“I have not had a conversation nor would I accept an endorsement from President Trump,” Cuomo said.

Neither Cuomo’s campaign nor Sliwa’s immediately responded to requests for comment on Trump’s endorsement.

While governor of New York, Cuomo was an outspoken critic of Trump during the president’s first term. The Democratic governor frequently slammed Trump over his response to Covid. During a mayoral debate last month, Cuomo described their clashes as “bloody battles.”

Cuomo resigned as governor in 2021 after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment. He has repeatedly denied those allegations. In an interview with “Meet the Press” last month, Cuomo said he has no regrets about his behavior “vis-à-vis those allegations,” but added that he has “learned to be more careful.”

Trump boosted several other candidates Monday ahead of Election Day. The president held tele-rallies for candidates in Virginia and New Jersey, talking up New Jersey GOP gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli and Republican candidates in Virginia, but without mentioning the name of Virginia’s GOP nominee for governor, Winsome Earle-Sears.

Trump has endorsed Ciattarelli but hasn’t done the same for Earle-Sears.