Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo walked off the mayoral debate stage Wednesday night and headed straight to Madison Square Garden, joining Mayor Eric Adams courtside in what felt like the prelude to an endorsement.
The New York Knicks were on their way to defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in their season opener, and Mr. Cuomo, who is trailing in the polls for mayor, seemed to be hoping for a campaign buzzer-beater.
It was a photo op clearly meant to send a message around the city. Mr. Cuomo, who is running for mayor as an independent, still trails Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, by double digits in the polls.
Mr. Adams, who had also been running for re-election as an independent, dropped out of the race last month. Mr. Cuomo then gained nine points in one poll, and he is eager to tap into the mayor’s dwindling reservoirs of support among Black voters and in the Orthodox Jewish community.
Mr. Mamdani and the Republican nominee, Curtis Sliwa, both said during the debate that they would not accept Mr. Adams’s endorsement if it was offered. Only Mr. Cuomo said he would.
Mr. Mamdani posted a picture of Mr. Adams and Mr. Cuomo at the game and wrote “corruption goes courtside.”
Mr. Adams has not backed a mayoral candidate so far, but he posted a photo of himself with Mr. Cuomo at the game, too, and seemed to be on the verge of offering an endorsement. “We need to win for the city,” the mayor wrote. “Can’t go backwards.”
Mr. Adams has been critical of Mr. Mamdani, calling his proposals to freeze rent on rent-stabilized apartments and to provide free buses fantasies.
Before he dropped out of the race, the mayor rarely had a kind word for Mr. Cuomo, but on Wednesday evening, the two seemed like best buddies.
Mr. Adams and Mr. Cuomo are bitter rivals with somewhat similar politics. Their platforms — pro-Israel, tough on crime and skeptical of the Democratic Socialist ideals that Mr. Mamdani embraces — often overlap.
Mr. Adams is 65. Mr. Cuomo, 67. In the Democratic primary, Mr. Adams and Mr. Cuomo looked locked in a generational fight with Mr. Mamdani, 34, who has rocketed to stardom in this race with pledges to make the city more affordable. Both have ripped into Mr. Mamdani and accused him of socialist and extremist ideas.
Mr. Adams’s own shot at a second term was derailed last year when he became the first sitting mayor in modern New York City history to be indicted. Federal prosecutors charged him with five counts of corruption, including bribery and soliciting illegal campaign donations. The charges were dropped after a recommendation from the Trump Justice Department.
Mr. Adams has referred to Mr. Mamdani as a “snake-oil salesman” and denounced his membership in the Democratic Socialists of America and some of his policies, such as decriminalizing prostitution and supporting the closing of the Rikers Island jail complex.
Last week, Mr. Adams told reporters he was having conversations about a potential endorsement of Mr. Cuomo.
“Don’t let anyone fool you to believe this race is over,” Mr. Adams said during a recent interview on “The Reset Talk Show.” “Trust me, there’s a lot of time to determine who’s going to be the next mayor of the City of New York.”
It is unclear how much Mr. Adams’s endorsement would help Mr. Cuomo. Yvette Buckner, a Democratic political strategist, said that fewer than 10 percent of voters remain undecided, and Mr. Adams’s support was already diminished.
“The window for movement is small,” Ms. Buckner said. “And there’s no clear indication that Adams’s supporters would automatically migrate to Cuomo, even with an endorsement from the mayor.”
Before both the debate and game began, Mr. Adams appeared on the Knicks’ pregame show and talked up the economic benefits of having a successful professional sports franchise based in New York City. Unprompted, he said jokingly that he was endorsing the Knicks’ star guard Jalen Brunson for mayor.
“Just how much they give back to our city,” Mr. Adams said. “They are just a great team. This is a dynasty that’s being built.”
During his opening remarks in the debate, Mr. Cuomo mentioned the Knicks and said he hoped to get updates on the score.
The Mamdani campaign aired an advertisement on ESPN during its broadcast of the game. The spot cut between footage of New Yorkers playing basketball and Mr. Mamdani on the campaign trail.
Mr. Mamdani has been quick to talk up his sports allegiances on the campaign trail, mentioning his love of soccer and appearing several times with a famous Knicks superfan, the film director Spike Lee, who endorsed his candidacy recently.
Debra Kamin is an investigative reporter for The Times who covers wealth and power in New York.
Benjamin Oreskes is a reporter covering New York State politics and government for The Times.
Jeffery C. Mays is a Times reporter covering politics with a focus on New York City Hall.
The post Cuomo Joins Adams at Knicks Game. Is an Endorsement in the Cards? appeared first on New York Times.
