New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani responded on Monday after Andrew Cuomo announced he would remain in the mayoral race despite being decisively defeated in the Democratic primary.

Mamdani spokesperson Jeffrey Lerner told The New York Times in a statement: “While Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams are tripping over themselves to cut backroom deals with billionaires and Republicans, Zohran Mamdani is focused on making this city more affordable for New Yorkers. That’s the choice this November.”

Cuomo made his decision public in a video statement, declaring that he is running as a counterweight to Mamdani, whom he accused of offering “slick slogans but no real solutions.”

Mamdani scored a surprise victory over Cuomo, a centrist Democrat who served as New York governor for a decade before resigning in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations. Mamdani, a 33-year-old Uganda-born Muslim of Indian descent, secured 56% of the vote to Cuomo’s 44% under the ranked-choice voting system used in last month’s primary.

Cuomo, once a nationally recognised figure and fierce critic of Donald Trump during the 2020–21 pandemic, argued in his video that only a small share of the electorate voted in the primary. He also signalled plans to make Mamdani’s lack of experience a central campaign issue.

Cuomo’s continued campaign is the latest chapter in his political comeback attempt, nearly four years after stepping down amid multiple allegations. Though denying any wrongdoing, he claims the scandal was politically driven.

In his latest video, Cuomo appeared to reflect on his campaign’s shortcomings while pledging a more grassroots approach.

“Every day I’m going to be hitting the streets, meeting you where you are, to hear the good and the bad, problems and solutions,” he said. “Because for the next few months it’s my responsibility to earn your vote.”

Mamdani and Cuomo will now face off against current Mayor Eric Adams and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels anti-crime patrol, in November’s general election.

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With inputs from Reuters