Clyburn Endorses Cuomo, Helping Him Broaden His Appeal to Black Voters

[demmiblue]

Source: NYT

Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, a veteran lawmaker who was once the highest-ranking Black member of Congress, will endorse former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Friday.

Mr. Clyburn will make the case that Mr. Cuomo is the right candidate to help Democrats fend off the ill effects of the second Trump term, when the president is “challenging the pillars of our democracy.”

“The mayor of New York is uniquely positioned to play an important role in the future of the national Democratic Party,” Mr. Clyburn said in a statement, adding that Mr. Cuomo had the “experiences, credentials and character to not just serve New York, but also help save the nation.”

The endorsement comes three days after Mr. Cuomo’s main rival, Zohran Mamdani, was endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the progressive wing’s longtime standard-bearer. Mr. Cuomo and Mr. Mamdani have led in the polls, and the tenor of the race has become increasingly nasty ahead of the Democratic primary on Tuesday.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/20/nyregion/clyburn-endorses-cuomo-mayor.html

---

He has the character? CHARACTER? You have to be fucking kiddding me.

That Clyburn thinks Andrew Cuomo is part of the future of the Democratic Party - and points to his character!!! — is the problem with the current Democratic Party leadership in a nutshell.
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/20/n...

— Amanda Litman (@amandalitman.bsky.social) 2025-06-20T12:34:39.145Z

[hlthe2b]

1. What assurances did Clyburn get that Cuomo will stand up to Trump?

Disappointing to me, but it's likely inevitable that he's going to get the mayorship. It does beat the current a'hole (probably)...

[Oopsie Daisy]

2. Over the years, I've wondered if political endorsements from well-known politicians can sometimes backfire *

Over the years, I've wondered if political endorsements from well-known politicians can sometimes backfire, hurting a candidate's chances. Or, if an endorsement does sway some voters to support a candidate, might it also alienate an equal number of voters, resulting in a net zero benefit?

[littlemissmartypants]

3. They could certainly backfire. ...

I imagine that the ways that they might backfire are numerous and sometimes surprising.

Thank goodness the voters are part of the equation.

Unfortunately, so is money. Reminds me of the expression, "One hand washes the other."

❤️

[hlthe2b]

4. Well, Clyburn's endorsement of Biden pretty clearly made the difference in 2020.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. "It takes a sexual harasser to criticize a sexual harasser" is a crap message

If people didn't like Mamdani, then why didn't they get behind a viable alternative candidate? Under 50% of NYC Democrats approve of Cuomo. More disapprove. There are 4 candidates with a better approval rating - again, among Democrats - than Cuomo, and none with a disapproval rating anywhere near his (Cuomo: 48% approve, 49% disapprove; the highest disapproval rating for anyone else is 15%).

https://www.filesforprogress.org/datasets/2025/6/dfp_nyc_mayor_dem_primary_202506_tabs.pdf

[Buddyzbuddy]

6. What a shame.

The endorsement says so much more about the endorser than the endorsed in this particular situation.

[LauraInLA]

14. I'd say, given Mamdani was the alternative, Clyburn made the better choice -- if he felt he needed to endorse.

[muriel_volestrangler]

24. There are 3 other candidates with a higher Dem approval rating than Cuomo, and nowhere near his disapproval

See #5. One of them is Brad Lander, the Comptroller who stood up to the ICE thugs at a court and got arrested for his pains. So there's a far, far better choice than the sexual harasser Cuomo, even if you don't like Mamdani.

[LauraInLA]

25. Aha, I thought Cuomo was far ahead in the polls of Lander and the others. Thanks for updating me ;).

[muriel_volestrangler]

26. Well, he's slightly ahead in the polls, because the anti-sexual harasser vote is split

and in the opinion polls, not enough of them give 2nd, 3rd etc. choices to end up with someone other than Cuomo (I hope that in the actual election, they will take the extra seconds involved for writing "2", "3" and so on for a few more candidates). So it's quite possible that a deeply unpopular (with Dems) candidate will win the primary. And Clyburn could help make that happen.

[Polybius]

29. Cuomo and Zohran are pretty far ahead

The others don't stand much of a chance Tuesday.

[Polybius]

28. But Cuomo and Zohran are far ahead of the others

Last edited Sat Jun 21, 2025, 02:39 AM - Edit history (1)

At least according to the polls. I haven't voted yet, but will do so Monday or Tuesday.

[muriel_volestrangler]

32. I think "vote for the sex pest, he's popular, and I really hate the other popular guy"

in a ranked choice contest is a highly irresponsible choice for a senior politician to take. If they're going to have an influence, make it for good, not sleaze.

[Buddyzbuddy]

27. Cuomo getting elected wouldn't affect me one bit.

But, there is a reason he was removed as Governor and to me, that is enough to keep him from ever holding public office again.
Therefore, anybody endorsing him exposes a flaw in their evaluation that would justify that endorsement.

Congressmen Clayborn has my respect as a Congressman and more importantly as a person.

By seeking and getting Clayborn's endorsement Cuomo has jeopardized and burned some of the Congressman's well earned goodwill. This exposes our party as a whole to accusations of hypocrisy. He could have not made an endorsement but by doing so he's taken voters for granted.

Like I said, it's a shame and I for one will question the Congressman's judgement going forward. I'm just glad he had the opportunity to endorsed Biden before and not after.

[CentralMass]

7. That's unfortunate.

[Delphinus]

13. Best reply

I don't understand why.

[SamKnause]

8. Disgusting.

[Canada Kid]

9. Cuomo the Creep

Why would anyone want to support a scuzzy predator like Cuomo? Oh yeah! Did we not vote in a scuzzy predator to be our president?

[yorkster]

10. Part of what may be happening is the

competence factor. Cuomo was perceived as having been strong and effective in his dealings with Trump, especially during Covid. He became a leader of a consortium of governors attempting to ensure their states got PPE, respirators, etc. during the first wave of Covid. His daily briefings were informative and a counter to Trump's daily doses of lies, Jared Kushner's doling out of much-needed supplies possibly to the highest bidders. (We'll never know that full story.)
So, a flawed candidate - corruption, sexual harassment - is viewed by some as the one who can deal with Trump more effectively.

Just some thoughts thinking back to when we listened to our Maine CDC director,Dr. Nirav Shah, Gov. Cuomo and Trump daily. Thank gawd for Dr. Fauci.

[TiberiusB]

18. Two words

Nursing homes

https://apnews.com/article/new-york-nursing-home-coronavirus-deaths-a6c214f4467976efdfca9ba75f8adaef

[yorkster]

22. Taken under advisement. Thx.

Had forgotten about this in the intervening
4 yrs.
It still may be the case thar Cuomo was a fairly effective counter to Trump on the Covid front for NY .

[ananda]

11. What happened to Clyburn? Did he have a stroke too?

He turned against Biden, and now this awful endorsement.

Sheesh

[LauraInLA]

15. I don't understand -- should he have endorsed Mamdani or just stayed quiet, in your opinion?

[Polybius]

31. There aren't any better options in the primary that can win

It's only Cuomo and Zohan.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. This is a great endorsement

[Mawspam2]

16. No more old fucks.

[Jose Garcia]

17. Cuomo is only 67

[Polybius]

30. And look and acts a lot younger

He's got at least two terms in him, unless he runs for President.

[chernabogg]

35. What a fucking disaster that would be

[Polybius]

36. He's better than what's in there now

Last edited Sat Jun 21, 2025, 02:16 PM - Edit history (1)

Better than Eric Adams, better than Trump.

[delisen]

37. Black hair dye fools the public. Worked for Reagain too. nt

[Polybius]

38. Reagan was also lucky enough to have that amazing hairline

No hair transplant either. It was all his, except for the dye.

[Polybius]

19. For those attacking Clyburn, remember the options:

There aren't any better ones that have a realistic chance of winning.

[TiberiusB]

20. Based on what?

Mamdani beats Sliwa easily in the Emerson poll. What data are you relying on?

[Polybius]

21. You misunderstood me

I meant the only other person besides Cuomo with a chance of winning the Democratic primary is Mamdani. But he is not a better option.

NYC's Mamdani says 'Globalize the intifada' and 'From the river to the sea' show 'desire for Palestinian rights'

NYC mayoral candidate draws criticism for 'globalize the intifada' comparison to Warsaw uprising

[Zohran25]

34. His name is Zohran Mamdani.

A true person fighting for the working class. Somebody that will revolutionize the city. The candidate who will deliver racial justice for all of New York. The candidate who has stand soundly on the moral issue of our time, which is the genocide in Gaza. Andrew Cuomo on the other hand is a neoliberal, multiple sexual offender, through the elderly off their homes during COVID, defending Netanyahu and Israel against the international community.

Choose wisely New York.

[valleyrogue]

23. Andy isn't his dad.

He's far from it.

He is a disaster on education, and he would be even worse as mayor on that issue than Bloomberg.

I am sure the teachers are thrilled with his candidacy--not.

[Deminpenn]

33. Just one establishment type supporting another one

Clyburn supported Biden in the 2020 SCar Dem primary which rejunvenated Biden's campaign and led to his 2020 win.
Clyburn successfully parlayed that into more power within the Dem party by getting his former staffer Jamie Harrison appointed head of the DNC and was, imo, a major unofficial advisor to Biden. Endorsing Cuomo is just a continuation of the standing Clyburn, now in his 80s, thinks he still has to make or break candidates. I seriously doubt many, if any, NY'ers care about Clyburn's opinion or endorsements.

[delisen]

39. Cuomo is the billionaire Republican candidate

Same as he was as governor when he teamed with Republicans party to to keep state legislature Republican.

The change most of us are seeking will not originate in NYC.it is going to rise up across the rest of America