Chris Cuomo found himself in an uncomfortable position on Tuesday night as he reported live on NewsNation about his brother Andrew Cuomo’s devastating loss in the New York City mayoral election, as reported by The New York Post.
The former CNN host, who had largely stayed away from covering his brother’s political comeback attempt, was on air when the race was officially called for Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani.
“Of course I wanted my brother to win,” Chris Cuomo admitted during the live broadcast.
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“I believe in my brother. I think he’s a tremendous operator within government. But he’s not what Democrats want right now in their party,” he said, acknowledging the sharp political divide that played out in the city’s election.
The former New York governor’s campaign had sought to reclaim relevance after his 2021 resignation, but the night ended in a sobering reminder of how far his standing had fallen among Democratic voters.
When the results came in, Mamdani led with 52 percent of the vote compared to Cuomo’s 40 percent, with just over a third of precincts reporting. The final tally showed Mamdani winning with 50.4 percent, Cuomo at 41.6 percent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa trailing at 7.1 percent.
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Chris Cuomo offered a brief analysis on-air, saying, “Democrats win in New York City… I mean, that’s the one-line analysis — the Democrat was gonna win in New York City.”
He added, “But the type of Democrat and what they want, I do believe, there’s a metaphor here as a reaction to MAGA, and this is what we’ll see in the midterms.”
Chris Cuomo reacts to his brother, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, losing the New York City mayoral election to Zohran Mamdani: pic.twitter.com/pWiNomhz6i
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Andrew Cuomo’s defeat marked a significant moment in New York City politics, reflecting the Democratic Party’s continued shift toward its progressive wing.
Mamdani, a state assemblyman from Queens and a prominent member of the Democratic Socialists of America, built his campaign around housing reform, police accountability, and economic redistribution — policies that resonated with younger, left-leaning voters.
For Chris Cuomo, the on-air acknowledgment was a rare and public display of family loyalty colliding with professional duty. Viewers on social media quickly circulated clips of the moment, noting the visible tension as the anchor tried to stay composed while announcing his brother’s loss.
The former governor’s team had framed his campaign as a return to “competent leadership” following years of turmoil within city politics. But Democratic voters instead opted for Mamdani’s insurgent platform, sending a clear message about the party’s direction in the nation’s largest city.
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