Andrew Cuomo may be the frontrunner in the New York City mayoral race, but he couldn’t outrun his past Wednesday night when a debate stage turned into a battleground over the sexual harassment allegations that forced him to resign as governor.
Cuomo dodged multiple direct questions about the scandal, prompting a fiery rebuke from rival Michael Blake, a former state assemblyman. “Every woman watching tonight should listen right now,” Blake said. “Andrew Cuomo would not respond… he ignored it.”
The former governor was accused by numerous women of sexual harassment during his time in Albany, culminating in a bombshell report from New York Attorney General Letitia James in 2021. The report concluded Cuomo harassed women between 2013 and 2020. While no criminal charges were filed, the U.S. Department of Justice reached a $500,000 settlement with Cuomo’s executive office over one case last year.
That history came roaring back during the debate, where Cuomo repeatedly pivoted away from questions about the accusations. His go-to tactic? Shift the discussion to public safety and crime—hoping to deflect attention.
But Blake wasn’t having it.
“The people who don’t feel safe are young women, mothers, and grandmothers around Andrew Cuomo,” he declared. “That’s the greatest threat to public safety in New York City.”
Even the moderators pressed Cuomo to give a straight answer. One asked him directly why voters should believe “that same situation won’t happen again.”
Cuomo’s response? He claimed the allegations were “political and false,” saying, “Five district attorneys…found absolutely nothing.” He acknowledged that one case had been settled and added, “If I offended anyone, it was unintentional. But I apologize.”
Cuomo’s performance highlighted a bigger issue for Democrats: how to reconcile past scandals with present ambitions. Despite no criminal charges, the optics of dodging such a serious issue in prime time reinforced concerns from critics who say Cuomo has never fully accounted for his behavior.
The exchange is likely to haunt him in the coming weeks as women voters and progressive Democrats reassess whether the man once dubbed the “Love Gov” deserves another shot at power.
What’s clear from Wednesday night: Cuomo may still lead in the polls, but he’s trailing in credibility—and his opponents are ready to remind voters why.
