Cuomo links LA violence to Trump as he courts NYC voters ahead of primary

With less than two weeks to go until New York City’s Democratic Party mayoral primary, frontrunner and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is spotlighting the unrest in Los Angeles to raise warnings about President Donald Trump and showcase his own experience.

“LA’s in chaos. Imagine it’s Times Square. Trump’s coming for New York. Who do you think can stop him?” a narrator says over images of the rioting in Los Angeles in a new ad by Cuomo that started running Thursday.

Cuomo, who said recently that, as mayor, he’d mount a national campaign to try and thwart Trump’s agenda, is now vowing to protect New York City from what he suggests is a possible future federal crackdown against immigration protests.

The former three-term governor resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals and is now aiming for political redemption as he works to pull off a campaign comeback. On Wednesday, he argued the president has “declared war” on New York and other cities across the country and suggested Trump may eventually send troops into New York City.

THIS BILLIONAIRE FORMER NYC MAYOR ENDORSES CUOMO AHEAD OF PRIMARY

“Trump’s at the city gates,” the narrator in Cuomo’s ad says. “We need someone experienced to slam them shut.”

The release of the new spot, which the Cuomo campaign says will run in the city as part of a seven-figure ad buy across all platforms, including cable and broadcast television, comes as progressive Zohran Mamdani has been rising in the most recent public opinion polls in the mayoral primary race and is now a clear second to the more moderate former governor.

AOC BACKS RISING PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE IN NYC DEM PRIMARY IN PUSH TO DEFEAT FRONTRUNNER CUOMO 

Mamdani, a 33-year-old state assembly member from Queens, is a person of color and a democratic socialist originally from Uganda. His primary bid was boosted last week after he landed an endorsement from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive champion and New York City’s most prominent leader on the left.

Ahead of the June 24 primary, the 67-year-old Cuomo has been questioning Mamdani’s experience leading New York City.

“Who do you think can stop him?,” the narrator in the new ad says, referring to Trump.

ANDREW CUOMO THE BIGGEST TARGET AS NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL PRIMARY HEATS UP

“Zohran Mamdani’s a 33-year-old dangerously inexperienced legislator who’s passed just three bills with a staff you can fit inside a New York elevator,” the narrator argues. “We need someone ready to roll. Andrew Cuomo managed a state and managed crises, from COVID to Trump.”

Cuomo has spent the past four years fighting to clear his name after 11 sexual harassment accusations, which he has repeatedly denied, forced his resignation. He was also under investigation at the time for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic amid allegations his administration vastly understated COVID-related deaths at state nursing homes. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Last month, the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into Cuomo after Republicans accused him of lying to Congress about the decisions he made as governor during the coronavirus pandemic.