Brad Lander, New York City's comptroller, is strategically focusing his mayoral campaign on defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo, whom he describes as a 'corrupt chaos agent.' Lander's campaign emphasizes his managerial competence and liberal values as he seeks to distinguish himself from Cuomo and other candidates like Zohran Mamdani and Adrienne Adams. The race is set against the backdrop of a city where Democrats significantly outnumber Republicans, making the Democratic primary pivotal for the general election. Lander aims to appeal to a coalition of progressive and moderate voters, though he currently trails in the polls with 6% support. Despite the challenges, Lander believes that by highlighting Cuomo's past controversies and promoting his own vision for New York City, he can overcome the odds and win the mayoral race.

Brad Lander is focusing his mayoral campaign on opposing Andrew Cuomo, whom he accuses of being corrupt and dangerous for New York City, while emphasizing his own decency and competence as a leader.

Lander's campaign strategy involves shifting away from criticizing current Mayor Eric Adams and instead targeting Cuomo, hoping to capitalize on Cuomo's controversial past to gain voter support.

Despite trailing in the polls with only 6% support, Lander believes he can build a coalition of progressive and moderate voters similar to his successful comptroller campaign, which aligned supporters of Maya Wiley and Kathryn Garcia.

Lander has criticized Cuomo's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly decisions regarding nursing homes and the lack of transparency in reporting deaths, as well as Cuomo's alleged misuse of government resources for personal gain.

While Lander positions himself as a competent manager and liberal candidate, he faces competition from other candidates like Zohran Mamdani, who is polling higher and has energized much of the progressive base.

Lander's campaign includes efforts to address issues such as affordability, public safety, and the mental health crisis, while also proposing innovative solutions like building housing on public golf courses.

Esther Jensen, a spokeswoman for Cuomo, has dismissed Lander's attacks as ineffective and argues that Cuomo remains a strong candidate due to his proven record and ability to confront significant challenges.