May 8, 2025 • 7 mins
Hank Sheinkopf joins Mendte in the Morning to talk about the reasoning behind Andrew Cuomo deciding to run as an independent whether he wins the Democratic primary or not.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The former governor Andrew Cuomo, who's now running for mayors,
(00:03):
is now saying he's going to run as an independent
no matter what happens in the Democratic primary. Even if
he wins the Democratic primary, he's still running as an
independent as well. So why what is the strategy? Well?
Who better to ask than Hank Shinkoff, longtime Democratic consultant
and political consultant. Hank, thanks for being here this morning.
(00:24):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I'm grateful to be with you. Hope Ball's well.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
So what is Andrew Cuomo doing?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
I'm a smart move. Getting an independent line is a
way of hedging against people whom Mike who don't want
to vote for him as a Democrat should he win
that primary of June twenty fourth, and then we'll talk
about the fall. Now he's going to have curtse Lee
on the Republican line, Eric Adams running on two lines.
I think Brad Lander won't be there likely, but Mondami
(00:53):
will be. So it's a way for him to find
a place where people who don't like Republicans or Democrats
or we don't like Democrats certainly would feel comfortable voting
for him.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Does this change the race in any way in your mind.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Nah, not really. I mean Andrew Como looks to win,
the looks like he's going to win, the Democrat Parmy
and the fall maybe who knows. It depends how much
money Adams has or doesn't have, and depends on what
the city feels at the particular time. I mean all politics.
When people try to predict that, they often forget that
two minutes in politics is twenty five years and anything else,
(01:29):
so anything can happen here.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Well, it's interesting to hear you say that now, because
the last couple of times we've had you on you
had a stronger feeling that you thought this was Mayor Adams,
even though he was lower in the polls. Has that change?
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I think it's about money today. The historian the Daily
News that notes that big story you know that says
that Adams was denied four million dollars by the campaign financeport,
which I find most fascinating. He wasn't convicted of a crime,
but they've decided that something un toward went on, which
is none of their business, frankly, and I think it's
(02:04):
not fair to him at all. And who are they
to make that decision. They're not a court there, it's
just supposed to be watching what happens and funding of
campaigns on anything else. So not there. He won't have
four million dollars. He's gonna have to raise the money.
If he has an independent committee for example, that an
independent expenister operation, they can do I would guess five
to six million dollars. He's in the game. He can
(02:27):
he can do very interesting things. But you know, money
makes the world go around, and it makes politics go around.
If he doesn't have any cash, it's going to be
a real problem.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, that that makes a whole lot of sense. You
did have a strong theory though, and now we're going
to have well one duplicate, but you're going to have
four strong personalities and people that can pull some votes
running against each other for mayor after the primary season
is over. And your theory in the past has always
(02:56):
been the black voters will come home to rest and
they'll go for mayor Adams. You don't think that's enough
now if he doesn't have the money.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
And money is going to be the define defining argument.
I mean, look, Zohan Ndami will have whatever he needs.
They'll come in from all over the country from sources
we haven't thought about. I mean, this is a do
or die moment for the anti Israel and the left wing,
the left wing Democratic Social America gang around the country.
The effect that we've taken over Philadelphia, the second party,
(03:26):
that they've they've removed the Republicans from real power in
the city of Philadelphia as an example of what the
DSA slash Working Families Party people have done. So this
is ground zero. He'll have whatever he needs from whatever
sources they can come in from. So I'm not worried
about that for him and and Sleea, Well, he'll have
a share. And I don't think you know, in a
(03:47):
mashup you can even count him out. We don't know
what's going to happen before, but we do know that
Eric Adams needs to get money, and if he doesn't
have money, it's going to be very difficult for him
to compete.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
You know, it's amazing. I'm glad you brought that out
about because it's amazing what type of infrastructure he has.
We talked to a citizen reporter who does who goes
out and does interviews. He does a great job, and
he was out and saw Mamdani at one of the
Tesla protests, and he went over to talk to him,
(04:17):
and he said, you would not believe the number of people.
And they all had different color vest on that surrounded him.
He had pressed people talking to him, talking to Mom
Donni in his ear. You had some really big guy
come up who was security. It does seem like it's
more than just the money. He has this infrastructure of
people that are around him, that are supporting him all
(04:40):
the time.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
This is a real campaign to take over a real
city and to turn it into what the left and
the extreme left believe that city ought to be. They've
had some success with Cerro's funded money and district attorney's
races around the country, which the book is generally rejected
(05:02):
on the second time around, or even recalled the people.
This is the most serious threat to New York City's
functioning since we're going to win. This is an organized
national effort of people with two agendas break up the
cops and destroy the state of Israel. And anybody who
thinks otherwise is deluding themselves. This is a guy with
no experience. He's been around politics for let's see, he
ran a campaign on Lost. He's been in the State
(05:24):
Center for what three terms. Excuse me, the state of
somebody for three terms has passed no significant legislation. They
would have burn in I have of our lives. How
dangerous he is is some of the people need to
understand and unless they reject him in, even if they do,
he'll be back, and the DSA will be back, and
they'll raise money all over the country the people around them.
And this has been a well fought through effort. And parenthetically,
(05:47):
I'm the idiot that said six or seven months ago
in the papers that Mondami would be the one to
watch and that people really should pay much more close attention.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Well, though, you were right, they should pay close attention
to him, because it is frightening for all the reasons
you said. Let's talk about the governor's race for one second.
Does at least Stephonic clear the field in the Republican.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Sign I think that she does not, and I think
that the Republicans will probably try to get her to
stay in her seat. And my bet they're smart to
have Bruce Blakeman, because Blakeman does not bring the taint
of the of the Trump years in the same way
that Stefanic does. Blakeman wins NASA and Stuffolk County walking away,
(06:31):
and he can probably get his thirty percent of New
York City to make him a very competitive at least
Stephanic can't do that in New York City. And without
that those numbers in New York City, it is hard
to think how a Republican can be re electing be
elected governor. I think Blakeman is a real shot if
he runs. Why because Kathy Hockle's numbers are terrible and polling,
but she is not one to be counted out either.
(06:52):
She's tough as nails, very smart, will raise extraordinary amounts
of money, and she's one tough cookie.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
That's fascinating, always fascinating. I love talking to you, Hank Shinkof,
longtime Democratic consultant and political consultant. Hank, thanks so much
for your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Thank you having me on. I'm grateful. All the best
The former governor Andrew Cuomo, who's now running for mayors,
(00:03):
is now saying he's going to run as an independent
no matter what happens in the Democratic primary. Even if
he wins the Democratic primary, he's still running as an
independent as well. So why what is the strategy? Well?
Who better to ask than Hank Shinkoff, longtime Democratic consultant
and political consultant. Hank, thanks for being here this morning.
(00:24):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I'm grateful to be with you. Hope Ball's well.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
So what is Andrew Cuomo doing?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
I'm a smart move. Getting an independent line is a
way of hedging against people whom Mike who don't want
to vote for him as a Democrat should he win
that primary of June twenty fourth, and then we'll talk
about the fall. Now he's going to have curtse Lee
on the Republican line, Eric Adams running on two lines.
I think Brad Lander won't be there likely, but Mondami
(00:53):
will be. So it's a way for him to find
a place where people who don't like Republicans or Democrats
or we don't like Democrats certainly would feel comfortable voting
for him.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Does this change the race in any way in your mind.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Nah, not really. I mean Andrew Como looks to win,
the looks like he's going to win, the Democrat Parmy
and the fall maybe who knows. It depends how much
money Adams has or doesn't have, and depends on what
the city feels at the particular time. I mean all politics.
When people try to predict that, they often forget that
two minutes in politics is twenty five years and anything else,
(01:29):
so anything can happen here.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Well, it's interesting to hear you say that now, because
the last couple of times we've had you on you
had a stronger feeling that you thought this was Mayor Adams,
even though he was lower in the polls. Has that change?
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I think it's about money today. The historian the Daily
News that notes that big story you know that says
that Adams was denied four million dollars by the campaign financeport,
which I find most fascinating. He wasn't convicted of a crime,
but they've decided that something un toward went on, which
is none of their business, frankly, and I think it's
(02:04):
not fair to him at all. And who are they
to make that decision. They're not a court there, it's
just supposed to be watching what happens and funding of
campaigns on anything else. So not there. He won't have
four million dollars. He's gonna have to raise the money.
If he has an independent committee for example, that an
independent expenister operation, they can do I would guess five
to six million dollars. He's in the game. He can
(02:27):
he can do very interesting things. But you know, money
makes the world go around, and it makes politics go around.
If he doesn't have any cash, it's going to be
a real problem.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, that that makes a whole lot of sense. You
did have a strong theory though, and now we're going
to have well one duplicate, but you're going to have
four strong personalities and people that can pull some votes
running against each other for mayor after the primary season
is over. And your theory in the past has always
(02:56):
been the black voters will come home to rest and
they'll go for mayor Adams. You don't think that's enough
now if he doesn't have the money.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
And money is going to be the define defining argument.
I mean, look, Zohan Ndami will have whatever he needs.
They'll come in from all over the country from sources
we haven't thought about. I mean, this is a do
or die moment for the anti Israel and the left wing,
the left wing Democratic Social America gang around the country.
The effect that we've taken over Philadelphia, the second party,
(03:26):
that they've they've removed the Republicans from real power in
the city of Philadelphia as an example of what the
DSA slash Working Families Party people have done. So this
is ground zero. He'll have whatever he needs from whatever
sources they can come in from. So I'm not worried
about that for him and and Sleea, Well, he'll have
a share. And I don't think you know, in a
(03:47):
mashup you can even count him out. We don't know
what's going to happen before, but we do know that
Eric Adams needs to get money, and if he doesn't
have money, it's going to be very difficult for him
to compete.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
You know, it's amazing. I'm glad you brought that out
about because it's amazing what type of infrastructure he has.
We talked to a citizen reporter who does who goes
out and does interviews. He does a great job, and
he was out and saw Mamdani at one of the
Tesla protests, and he went over to talk to him,
(04:17):
and he said, you would not believe the number of people.
And they all had different color vest on that surrounded him.
He had pressed people talking to him, talking to Mom
Donni in his ear. You had some really big guy
come up who was security. It does seem like it's
more than just the money. He has this infrastructure of
people that are around him, that are supporting him all
(04:40):
the time.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
This is a real campaign to take over a real
city and to turn it into what the left and
the extreme left believe that city ought to be. They've
had some success with Cerro's funded money and district attorney's
races around the country, which the book is generally rejected
(05:02):
on the second time around, or even recalled the people.
This is the most serious threat to New York City's
functioning since we're going to win. This is an organized
national effort of people with two agendas break up the
cops and destroy the state of Israel. And anybody who
thinks otherwise is deluding themselves. This is a guy with
no experience. He's been around politics for let's see, he
ran a campaign on Lost. He's been in the State
(05:24):
Center for what three terms. Excuse me, the state of
somebody for three terms has passed no significant legislation. They
would have burn in I have of our lives. How
dangerous he is is some of the people need to
understand and unless they reject him in, even if they do,
he'll be back, and the DSA will be back, and
they'll raise money all over the country the people around them.
And this has been a well fought through effort. And parenthetically,
(05:47):
I'm the idiot that said six or seven months ago
in the papers that Mondami would be the one to
watch and that people really should pay much more close attention.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Well, though, you were right, they should pay close attention
to him, because it is frightening for all the reasons
you said. Let's talk about the governor's race for one second.
Does at least Stephonic clear the field in the Republican.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Sign I think that she does not, and I think
that the Republicans will probably try to get her to
stay in her seat. And my bet they're smart to
have Bruce Blakeman, because Blakeman does not bring the taint
of the of the Trump years in the same way
that Stefanic does. Blakeman wins NASA and Stuffolk County walking away,
(06:31):
and he can probably get his thirty percent of New
York City to make him a very competitive at least
Stephanic can't do that in New York City. And without
that those numbers in New York City, it is hard
to think how a Republican can be re electing be
elected governor. I think Blakeman is a real shot if
he runs. Why because Kathy Hockle's numbers are terrible and polling,
but she is not one to be counted out either.
(06:52):
She's tough as nails, very smart, will raise extraordinary amounts
of money, and she's one tough cookie.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
That's fascinating, always fascinating. I love talking to you, Hank Shinkof,
longtime Democratic consultant and political consultant. Hank, thanks so much
for your time this morning.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Thank you having me on. I'm grateful. All the best
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