Former Gov. David Paterson called on independent candidates in the race for mayor to form a strategic alliance to defeat Zohran Mamdani in the November general election.

Paterson believes either former Gov. Andrew Cuomo or Mayor Eric Adams should drop out of the race and support the other candidate based on whoever has the strongest opportunity to win.

He shared his proposal during a Monday morning press conference, saying, “What we are really doing is calling on the candidates who are still in the race to find a way to unite behind one of them.”

What You Need To Know

  • Former Gov. David Paterson wants independent candidates to unite behind one candidate to defeat Zohran Mamdani

  • Paterson supported former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary election

  • He called Mamdani's rent freeze proposal "impossible"

Paterson asked candidates to “look beyond themselves.”

"The idea of pulling back and supporting someone else is very difficult for anyone to accept," he acknowledged.

He suggested a panel of influential New Yorkers could help decide which independent candidate support should coalesce behind.

Explaining why he wants to unite opposition to the Democratic candidate Mamdani, Paterson, a former Democratic governor, said, “I think his policy on freezing rent is impossible. There’s no way he can do that.”

Paterson added he doesn’t believe Mamdani has the experience to lead.

"The type of policies that he is raising, the type of antagonism that he is exhibits just doesn’t strike me as indicative of the mayors who proceeded him" he said. 

The Mamdani campaign responded to Paterson’s press conference, telling NY1 in a statement, “In the coming months, Zohran looks forward to growing this coalition and reaching new voters with his vision for an affordable New York City, and his plan to deliver universal childcare, fast and free buses, and a rent-freeze for more than two million New Yorkers.”

“We do not see any path to victory for Mayor Adams,” Rich Azzopardi, Cuomo’s campaign spokesperson, said Monday.

Azzopardi added the campaign will review Paterson’s proposal saying, “we call on other candidates to do the same.”

Appearing on CNBC Monday morning, Adams called on Cuomo to drop out of the race. 

I think he really should do an analysis and say, 'Give Eric an opportunity to run,’” Adams said.