New York, New York - Former New York Governor David Paterson held a press conference on Monday calling on either Andrew Cuomo or Eric Adams to drop out of the New York City mayoral race in order to defeat Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani.

"They're candidates running on independent lines. They're trying to get support, and what I am trying to focus on today is who would emerge from that group of people to possibly lead this city," Paterson said of Adams and Cuomo.

"The candidates themselves are not going to be able to work this out. It would have to be some kind of outreach to them to understand what the possibilities are, at the same time what is dangerous for the city to allow to have happen at this particular time," the former governor added.

Incumbent Adams is fighting for reelection as an independent in spite of serious corruption and sexual assault scandals.

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Cuomo resigned from office in 2021 amid accusations of covering up Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes during the pandemic and allegations of sexual assault from 13 women.

Paterson had endorsed Cuomo in the Democratic primary, but declined on Monday to back either him or Adams for the general.

His call for Adams and Cuomo to coalesce is the latest attempt by powerful interests and establishment Democrats to undermine Mamdani's campaign after the self-described democratic socialist's stunning primary election win last month.

The 33-year-old state assemblymember ran on a platform calling for rent freezes, free buses, no-cost childcare, city-owned grocery stores, and more – stoking the ire of the rich and powerful, many of whom have rushed to question his fitness to lead the nation's largest city.

"I simply do not believe Zohran Mamdani is the person to lead New York City in these extremely turbulent times," Paterson said on Monday.

Many New Yorkers clearly disagreed, as Mamdani won the ranked-choice mayoral primary with 543,344 votes – more than any other candidate has received in decades.