Cuomo warns NYC 'will not survive' Mamdani, says Dems fighting a 'civil war' against far left

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Andrew Cuomo surges as Mamdani’s lead shrinks to 10 points: 'Candidacy is collapsing'

New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo discusses his vision for NYC, tax plan and overall state of his race against Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani on 'Mornings with Maria.'

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday warned that should Zohran Mamdani be elected mayor of New York City, the Big Apple's economy will turn socialist, and detailed how the rise of the far left has sparked a "quiet civil war" within the Democratic Party.

Cuomo, who is running for New York City mayor as an Independent, predicted that New York City "will not survive" a Mamdani administration, during an appearance on FOX Business’ "Morning with Maria" on Wednesday.

"New York will be a socialist economy if Mamdani wins," Cuomo said when asked about what his message to voters is ahead of Election Day. "The city will not survive that as we know it, and it will not recover for a long time."

Cuomo described how the rise of radical left politicians, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., in the Democratic Party has ignited what he called a "civil war."

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Democratic mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo speaks during a Democratic mayoral primary debate, June 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool, File)

"The truth is there's a quiet civil war going on in the Democratic Party right now," Cuomo said. "You have an extreme left. Radical left. Bernie Sanders, AOC – Mamdani is just the banner carrier for that movement – versus the mainstream moderate Democrats. They now call me moderate. They used to call me liberal. Now I'm a moderate because the whole party shifted."

Cuomo said the so-called "civil war" and the future of the Democratic Party are central to the New York City mayoral election.

New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani delivers remarks in the Bronx, New York City, on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (Fox News Digital/Deirdre Heavey)

"And that's what this election is about," he said. "It is that civil war. I believe that far left will destroy the Democratic Party. I believe it will destroy the Democratic Party nationwide, if that far left becomes dominant. This is not a socialist country. They're not going to accept socialist policies, they’re not anti-law and order, they’re not anti-business."

Cuomo said that if he’s elected mayor, his top three priorities for New York City are safety, affordable housing and working with businesses to bring them back to the Big Apple.

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The former governor said he would hire 5,000 police officers, placing 1,500 of them into the city’s subways to deter violent crimes on the transit system, and raise police salaries to reverse the high rate of officers leaving the force.

"Safety first," Cuomo said. "Let people know the subways are safe, the streets are safe."

Cuomo and Mamdani shake hands during a mayoral debate in New York City. (Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images)

Second, Cuomo said there needs to be 100,000 affordable housing units built during the first year as mayor because there is "no supply."

"The reason rents are so high is we have a 1% vacancy rate," he said. "Now, we can do that, we can build housing. But you have to be organized. You have to be competent. You have to make the government work."

Cuomo noted that as governor of New York, he had rebuilt LaGuardia Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, various bridges and the Second Avenue subway.

He said his third priority is working with businesses to keep them in the city, and luring back those that left during the pandemic and subsequent years.

"Third, you have to say to the companies that are here, I will work with you on taxes and regulations," he said. "Stick with us. I want you to grow. I want to help you grow and start to reach out to businesses and people who left to bring them back."

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With just days left before Election Day, Mamdani has a 10-point lead over Cuomo, according to a recent Suffolk University public opinion poll, down from his 20-point advantage in Suffolk's September poll.