Tweet
Email
Link
New York
—
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sunday endorsed New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, saying she was confident he had “courage, urgency and optimism” despite their differences.
Hochul’s endorsement, published in The New York Times, makes her the latest high-profile Democrat and the most powerful in the state to back the 33-year-old democratic socialist’s campaign. It also puts new pressure on other high-profile Democrats withholding their backing of Mamdani, notably House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, both Brooklyn residents.
The governor’s endorsement breaks from more than two months of cautious distance. She initially refused to endorse Mamdani after he shocked former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary in June.
“In the past few months, I’ve had frank conversations with him. We’ve had our disagreements,” she wrote. “But in our conversations, I heard a leader who shares my commitment to a New York where children can grow up safe in their neighborhoods and where opportunity is within reach for every family. I heard a leader who is focused on making New York City affordable — a goal I enthusiastically support.”
Mamdani’s campaign is focused on affordability and progressive agenda items such as free city buses, government-run grocery stores and taxing the city’s wealthiest residents.
Following the primary, Hochul specifically cited concerns about Mamdani’s proposal to tax the wealthy, saying she believed it would encourage people to leave the state. Tax increases have to be passed by the state legislature and signed into law by the governor.
Hochul’s endorsement is likely to carry significant political implications for both her and Mamdani. It could help bridge the gap between Mamdani’s left-wing support and the Democratic establishment, including some who view Mamdani with skepticism due to his association with democratic socialism and his criticisms of Israel. It could also shore up Hochul’s standing with progressives ahead of her own reelection campaign next year.
A spokesperson for the Mamdani campaign declined to comment.
This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.