Andrew Cuomo the biggest target as New York City mayoral primary shifts into high gear

With just under three weeks to go until primary day in the nation's most populous city, the New York City mayoral race is heating up.

Nine Democrats running for mayor in the Democratic-dominated city will face off Wednesday night in the first of two debates ahead of the June 24 primary, with early voting starting 10 days earlier, on June 14.

And likely in the political crosshairs in the first in-person clash between the candidates will be former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the polling frontrunner.

The former three-term governor, who resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals, is aiming for political redemption as he works to pull off a campaign comeback.

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Cuomo has spent the past four years fighting to clear his name after 11 sexual harassment accusations – which he has repeatedly denied – forced his resignation. He was also under investigation at the time for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic amid allegations his administration vastly understated COVID-related deaths at state nursing homes.

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But thanks in part to his near-universal name recognition among New Yorkers, Cuomo was topping the mayoral polls even before he announced his candidacy on March 1.

With his lead in both the polls and fundraising, Cuomo is likely to be the top target on the debate stage, as rivals zero in on the harassment allegations and his handling of nursing homes during the pandemic.

While all of Cuomo's rivals on the stage are likely to pile on, expect Zohran Mamdani, a state Assembly member from Queens, to try to go toe-to-toe with the former governor. Mamdani, a democratic socialist who is originally from Uganda, has been rising in public opinion polls and is now a clear second to Cuomo in the latest surveys.

Also taking the stage will be City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, city comptroller Brad Lander, former city comptroller Scott Stringer, former state Assemblyman Michael Blake from the Bronx, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie from Brooklyn, state Sen. Jessica Ramos from Queens, and former hedge fund executive Whitney Tilson.

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Absent from the stage on Wednesday night at a debate organized by the city's Campaign Finance Board will be embattled incumbent Mayor Eric Adams.

With his poll numbers plummeting, Adams announced in early April that he would run for re-election as an independent candidate.

The winner of the Democratic Party mayoral primary will be seen as the overwhelming favorite to win November's general election in the heavily blue city.

The debate comes during reports confirmed by Fox News that the Justice Department had opened a criminal investigation into Cuomo after Republicans accused him of lying to Congress about the decisions he made as governor during the coronavirus pandemic.

The push to investigate Cuomo came after the Justice Department made the unusual decision earlier this year to dismiss an indictment against Adams on corruption charges.