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Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat running on a third-party line, has appeared repeatedly on Staten Island and shifted his messaging in ways that seem designed to court Republican voters.
Oct. 26, 2025, 3:00 a.m. ET
In the heart of southern Brooklyn, where the venerable Greenhouse Cafe has hosted weddings and served brunches for more than 40 years, the co-owner, John Keegan, seems like a perfect target for former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s mayoral campaign.
Mr. Keegan, 62, is an independent voter who supported President Trump last year, but has been disappointed by Mr. Trump’s second term. He admits to not being enamored with the Republican candidate, Curtis Sliwa, and his lingering allegiance to Mr. Trump means that voting for the Democratic candidate, Zohran Mamdani, is a nonstarter.
That leaves Mr. Cuomo, right? Mr. Keegan replied with a hard no.
“The reason why New York City is in trouble is because of Cuomo,” Mr. Keegan said. His return to politics was “an insult to the people of New York,” he added, noting the sexual harassment scandal that led to his resignation in 2021. (Mr. Cuomo has denied the accusations.)
Mr. Keegan said he would vote for Mr. Sliwa, though he would have preferred someone a “little bit more polished.”
As Mr. Cuomo tries to mount a late comeback against Mr. Mamdani, the front-runner, he has taken steps to woo Republicans and right-leaning independent voters. He has made multiple appearances in the Republican stronghold of Staten Island in recent weeks, and has shifted his messaging in ways and in places that seem designed to court Republican voters.
Over the last month, Mr. Cuomo has been a guest on various Fox News programs, and on conservative radio programs on WABC at least six times. Last week, he appeared on a podcast hosted by the influencer Logan Paul, whose popularity has been grounded on a cultural wave of masculinity.
