Months ago, Andrew Cuomo teased that he’d pack his bags and head to Florida if Zohran Mamdani won. Now that New York City has chosen its Mayor, the former governor should check if his suitcase is missing anything.
On Nov. 4, 2025, New York City voters gave a decisive blow to Cuomo’s comeback bid, endorsed by Trump. Mamdani, the 34-year-old progressive leader, defeated him in the general race for mayor in an undisputed victory. He captured over 50% of the votes to Cuomo’s approximate 41.6%, with Republican Curtis Sliwa trailing even farther behind.
Mamdani is now set to be the youngest mayor since 1892, and the city’s first Muslim mayor on Jan. 1, 2026. Hopefully, he will deliver his promises on policies like free childcare, affordable housing, and increased support for immigrants. But right now, people are counting on Cuomo to deliver his promise to leave NYC and move to Florida.
Back on July 19, Cuomo joked publicly that “If Mamdani becomes mayor, I will move to Florida” (via NY Post). The “God forbid” framing made headlines, though his team later claimed it was a joke. But Cuomo isn’t a political neophyte, having once served as the governor of New York. So, saying “It’s all or nothing” and then backing off doesn’t look good on his already tarnished image.
Cuomo’s portfolio is damaged by a sexual harassment scandal and several corruption allegations. Back in 2020, he was also at the center of a controversy over his handling of nursing home deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. And those issues resurfaced repeatedly during his recent campaign. But now, his list of tags, including racist and Islamophobic, has a new addition: a coward.
Even with high-profile endorsements and deep pockets, Cuomo couldn’t overcome the momentum of a younger, educated progressive base. At this point, it would actually be in his best interest to move to Florida. Though Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, too, rejected him back in July, saying, “Don’t New York our Florida!” (via Fox News)
Rejected on both sides, Cuomo’s senior adviser, Rich Azzopardi, then came to defend his comment. “Governor Cuomo would never give up on New York,” he said (via NY Post). But sadly, New York has given up on Cuomo and wants nothing to do with him. The voters and observers on social media are treating his Florida jab as an IOU that’s now due.
“I’ll help him pack!” one wrote, while others asked him mockingly when he would leave. Florida residents, on the other hand, rejected him just like their governor. “We don’t want him,” one declared. But Cuomo will spin this and claim it was all a joke again. Yet, the voters aren’t laughing. “He’d better be on the next plane out of here,” one advised. So if Cuomo already laid out his exit plan after losing, he should ideally follow through on it.
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