Breaking News: Independent Mayoral Candidate Jim Walden Suspends Campaign, Endorses Andrew Cuomo for Mayor
“Uniting in support of one candidate, Andrew Cuomo, is the only way to save New York from extremism, and prevent the city from becoming a cautionary tale for the entire country.” — Jim Walden
“Andrew Cuomo knows how to build ambitiously, and this is precisely what New York needs.” — Jim Walden
New York, NY — Independent candidate Jim Walden announced today that after suspending his campaign for Mayor of New York City, he is formally endorsing Andrew M. Cuomo to be the next Mayor of New York City. Walden, a respected attorney and reform advocate, said his decision reflects both principle and pragmatism: “uniting behind one candidate is the only way to stop Zohran Mamdani’s radical agenda and ensure a safe, affordable future for New York City.” In his endorsement, Walden cites Cuomo’s proven experience and vision for a safer, more affordable New York for all, “real solutions, grounded in experience, not the empty promises of an inexperienced Zohran Mamdani, who has never managed a city budget, overseen a police force, or built a single unit of housing”.
“I am deeply grateful to Jim Walden for his support and for his principled decision to put the future of New York ahead of personal ambition,” said Andrew M. Cuomo. “Jim has always been a fighter for accountability and justice in this city, and his endorsement is a testament to the urgency of this election and the need for experienced leadership to keep New York safe, affordable, and strong for future generations.”
Full Statement from Jim Walden below:
I Ran for Mayor of New York City. This is Who I Endorse for its Future.
By: Jim Walden
The post-primary polls all point to the same conclusion: Mayor Adams and Curtis Sliwa cannot win this race. And although I don’t put much stock in polls, I believe this one is undeniable.
Since July, I have been warning that Zohran Mamdani’s radical agenda would destroy this city. He is anti-cop and anti-business. His “free everything” policies are economic fantasy. His hostility toward Israeli businesses is flatly antisemitic. And with so many names on the ballot, he is poised to win.
That’s why I made the difficult decision to terminate my own campaign. Even though I went to court to have my name removed from the ballot, I lost, and now I am in the rare position of urging voters not to vote for me. I did so to show leadership, to prove that sometimes values matter more than ambition. My decision to endorse is not about party loyalty but about responsibility in a flawed system. It reflects principle, not party; I owe no obligation to either side. It’s not about agreeing on every issue, but about uniting when the math and the stakes are clear.
This is what unity in a fractured democracy requires. And it carries national resonance: a signal moment for independents, the fastest-growing bloc in American politics, on what responsibility looks like in 2025. Now it’s time for others to step up.
Mamdani is a gateway to extremism in New York: defunding police, abolishing prisons, sympathizing with terrorists, weighing into international disputes, over-regulation, identity politics, and a radical leftist economic policy. He has promised to use committees of socialists to resist any moderating influences from other elected officials. This is dangerous. Even I, as an independent centrist, can see the radicalism in his platform. Most New Yorkers agree. But the only way he’ll win, with a minority of voters, is if centrist votes are split.
Make no mistake: this is not just a New York story. If Mamdani becomes mayor, it will be a national one. Trump is already calling the radical left sick and dangerous and vowing to go after extreme leftists at every turn. A Mamdani victory would hand him his perfect poster child. New York City would become ground zero in the culture war, with consequences that stretch far beyond the five boroughs.
And that is why today, I am endorsing Andrew Cuomo for mayor. He is the only candidate with a path to victory and the strength to stop Mamdani. His policies and plans are exactly what New Yorkers need to restore safety and affordability. Cuomo plans to restore public safety by putting 5,000 more officers on patrol, strengthening transit policing, and working to stop repeat offenders from cycling back onto the streets. He also has a credible plan to confront the housing crisis: expand affordable supply, protect tenants, and convert empty office and hotel buildings into apartments. These are real solutions, grounded in experience, not the empty promises of an inexperienced Zohran Mamdani, who has never managed a city budget, overseen a police force, or built a single unit of housing. Andrew Cuomo knows how to build ambitiously, and this is precisely what New York needs.
New York cannot afford experiments. It needs competence, experience, and a leader who can deliver results on day one. Cuomo has done it before, and he can do it again.
Uniting in support of one candidate, Andrew Cuomo, is the only way to save New York from extremism, and prevent the city from becoming a cautionary tale for the entire country.
Mayor Adams and Curtis Sliwa have run spirited campaigns. They have earned respect. But the time has come. For the love of this city, they must step aside.
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