New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Friday released a statement in support of Rep. Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Trump signs largely symbolic pre-existing conditions order amid lawsuit MORE's (D-Calif.) bid for the House Speaker's gavel, calling her the only choice to lead Democrats.

Cuomo said in a statement that there was "no comparable tested alternative" to Pelosi, who has led House Democrats since 2003.

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"There is a reason no one has publicly announced they are running against Leader Pelosi: there is no tested comparable alternative," Cuomo said in the statement.

"Nancy Pelosi has my support as Speaker, and I urge strongly our delegation to support her for the good of our state and nation," he added.

His statement comes after members of the House Democratic caucus have been questioned by reporters in recent weeks over their potential support for Pelosi in the upcoming Democratic leadership elections. Pelosi faces declared opposition but no actual opponent from a group of Democratic lawmakers on the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus.

Members of the group had been pressuring Rep. Marcia Fudge Marcia Louise FudgeThis week: House returns for pre-election sprint House to tackle funding, marijuana in September Honoring John Lewis's voting rights legacy MORE (D-Ohio) to challenge Pelosi for the job, but Fudge ended that speculation this week with an endorsement of Pelosi for Speaker.

"I am now confident that we will move forward together and that the 116th Congress will be a Congress of which we can all be proud. I now join my colleagues in support of the leadership team of Pelosi, [Steny] Hoyer and [James] Clyburn," Fudge said in a statement endorsing Pelosi.

Five incoming freshman signed a letter in support of a challenger to Pelosi, but the group did not include freshman New York Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who came out in support of Pelosi this week.

"All the challenges to Leader Pelosi are coming from her right, in an apparent effort to make the party even more conservative and bent toward corporate interests," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter.

"Hard pass. So long as Leader Pelosi remains the most progressive candidate for Speaker, she can count on my support."