Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo hit the campaign trail alongside Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, one of the city�s most prominent Republicans, as he seeks to build bipartisan support in his uphill battle against far-left Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race.

Vernikov, a Ukrainian-born Jewish lawmaker who represents a large population of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union in South Brooklyn, broke with her party to endorse Cuomo over Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

�Inna has been a fearless voice against antisemitism and for public safety, accountability, and common sense in city government,� Cuomo said at the event. �We may come from different parties, but we share the same goal: protecting New York�s values and future.�

Cuomo�s partnership with Vernikov is one of the most visible examples of his effort to court disillusioned Republicans and moderate Democrats who view Mamdani�s brand of democratic socialism as a threat to public safety, economic stability, and New York�s Jewish community.

Vernikov�s South Brooklyn district � encompassing neighborhoods like Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay, and Manhattan Beach � voted overwhelmingly for President Donald Trump in last year�s election. Her endorsement gives Cuomo a crucial bridge into a conservative base that has traditionally shunned Democrats.

�She said something powerful,� Cuomo told supporters. �That many in this community feel everything they once escaped would now be coming to New York if Mamdani is elected.� The comment drew a direct line between Mamdani�s socialist policies and the Soviet-style system many of Vernikov�s constituents fled.

Cuomo, a lifelong Democrat running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani, has sought to position himself as the only viable alternative to what he calls Mamdani�s �ideological extremism.� Vernikov�s endorsement not only lends him bipartisan credibility but also highlights growing cracks in the city�s traditional political alignments.

Vernikov, an outspoken supporter of Israel, said her decision to back Cuomo over her party�s own nominee was not political but moral. �This race isn�t about party labels,� she said earlier this week. �It�s about whether New York will be safe, sane, and supportive of our Jewish community � or whether it will fall into the hands of someone who despises everything we stand for.�

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)