Mayor Eric Adams on Monday brushed off Rep. Ritchie Torres’ early-bird backing of Andrew Cuomo in the mayoral race – making a veiled jab at the sexual harassment scandal that toppled the former governor.
Torres’ endorsement, first reported by The Post, was met by Adams with a shrug, and a reminder that the Bronx congressman hasn’t always been supportive of “Mr. Tough Guy” Cuomo — who still hasn’t officially declared his candidacy.
“Well, Congressman Torres also called for the former governor to step down,” Adams told reporters. “I don’t know what happened differently now.”
Adams’ response referred to Torres joining a chorus of New York pols who called for Cuomo to resign as governor in 2021 amid a torrent of sexual harassment accusations from women.
“While the Governor is free to affirm his innocence and assert his right to due process, he must consider doing what is best not for himself but for the State of New York in a moment of crisis,” Torres said in a statement at the time. “Resignation is in the best interest of New York State.”
Cuomo did resign that August, although he has steadfastly denied the accusations.
The three-term Democratic governor’s rumored mayoral run would be his attempt at a political comeback — and one aiming to capitalize on Adams’ mounting woes.
The embattled mayor continued to brush off polling showing him far behind Cuomo ahead of June Democratic primary — and maintained he’ll be able to stay in Gracie Mansion.
Hizzoner faced the barrage of pointed queries about his uncertain political future during an off-topic press briefing — the first time in three weeks he opened himself up to a hot-seat news conference with reporters.
The usually-weekly briefing came after a whirlwind span in which Adams saw President Trump’s Department of Justice move to drop his corruption case, a leadership crisis in City Hall, serious calls for his removal and growing chatter that Cuomo is about to enter the mayor’s race.
Adams again noted that he was similarly behind Andrew Yang early in the 2021 mayoral election.
“We’re not calling Andrew Yang mayor,” he said. “We’re saying Eric Adams is mayor.”
Adams said his campaign team will be on the streets to obtain petitions to put him on the ballot — a process that begins Tuesday and runs to April 3.
“I like to say this is using a sports analogy: this is the season,” he said. “The playoff starts once petitions are actually completed. There’s a lot of time till June.
“Things happen in the mayoral race. People come in, people get out, things happen, stuff pops up — that’s just the reality of this game.”
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