Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsed lefty Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani for mayor in a bombshell Sunday guest essay — after her camp tried to keep the candidate at arm’s length through the campaign.

“The question of who will be the next mayor is one I take extremely seriously and to which I have devoted a great deal of thought,” Hochul wrote in a New York Times Opinion piece published Sunday night.

“Tonight I am endorsing Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani,” she said.

NY Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsed Zohran Mamdani for mayor on Sunday. Robert Miller

Hochul’s likely endorsement of Mamdani was first reported by The Post earlier Sunday evening.

Before her official endorsement was announced, the governor said she had “frank” discussions with Mamdani, but confidently landed on endorsing the lefty candidate despite their “disagreements.”

“In the past few months, I’ve had frank conversations with him. We’ve had our disagreements,” Hochul wrote in the guest essay.

“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,” she said.

Among the talking points the governor said she discussed with the mayoral frontrunner were affordability, ensuring strong leadership “at the helm” of the NYPD, and “urgently” tackling the “rise of antisemitism” across the five boroughs.

The Democratic Socialist Mamdani has remained ahead in the polls since securing the Dem nomination in June. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post

“New York City deserves a mayor who will stand up to Donald Trump and make life more affordable for New Yorkers. That’s @ZohranKMamdani,” Hochul added in an X post.

Mamdani thanked the governor for her support and said he was looking forward to working with her in a statement.

“Governor Hochul has made affordability the centerpiece of her work. I look forward to fighting alongside her to continue her track record of putting money back in New Yorkers’ pockets and building a safer and stronger New York City where no one is forced to leave just so they can afford to raise a family,” he said.

“I’m grateful to the Governor for her support in unifying our party — as well as the work she’s done standing up to President Trump, securing free lunch meals for our kids, and expanding access to childcare.”

Hochul’s endorsement gives the green light to other hesitant Democrats to back Mamdani — including Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn, among others, sources said.

Hochul praised Mamdani as a “leader who is focused on making New York City affordable” in her New York Times op-ed endorsing him for mayor. Lev Radin/Shutterstock

Party insiders said the governor’s stamp of approval will likely lead other Democratic leaders to follow her lead.

“This puts tremendous pressure on Jeffries and everyone who hasn’t endorsed Mamdani yet,” one source said. “Hochul is the ultimate bellwether of where the New York democratic party’s center is. She’s shown she will push back when needed against the left but this shifts the center of gravity definitively and now we will watch to see what else she moves in her orbit and who will get lost in space.”

It’s a big move for Hochul, because democratic socialist Mamdani is unpopular in the suburbs, according to polls. Republicans in Nassau County are already using Mamdani to attack their Democratic rivals.

Mamdani thanked Hochul for the endorsement and wrote he looks forward to the “great work we will accomplish together.” Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post

In 2021, Hochul did not endorse India Walton after the democratic socialist won the Democratic primary for Buffalo mayor against favored incumbent Byron Brown.

Brown won re-election in the general election as a write-in candidate.

But Hochul has been under mounting pressure from progressives to back Mamdani as she faces reelection next year and the possibility of a lefty challenger in a party primary.

A Democratic Party official also said Hochul needs a huge vote from urban areas in next year’s general election because she’s unpopular in the suburbs and parts of upstate. 

“She needs to get the city vote out to survive. It’s toxic for Hochul in the suburbs,” the Democratic Party source said.

Democratic operative Ken Frydman told The Post the call to endorse the young lefty candidate is a double-edged sword should he return the favor.

“Mamdani’s return endorsement would cut both ways for Hochul,” he said. “It would help her in New York City, but hurt in mid-state, upstate and in downstate suburbs. Hochul’s scared to death of the DSA tag and should be.”

Another party source said her motive behind the back was also stopping her ex-boss and Mamdani challenger, Andrew Cuomo, from becoming mayor.

“She wants to stop Andrew Cuomo; him being mayor during her reelection is not anything she wants to see happen,” the source said. “This will obviously be a boon for the Republicans.”

Republicans quickly pounced on the endorsement, including the GOP candidate for mayor, Curtis Silwa.

“The worst governor in America just endorsed the worst candidate for mayor. They deserve each other. New Yorkers see through the backroom politics and know Curtis Sliwa is fighting for them, not the insiders,” said Silwa campaign spokesperson Daniel Kurzyna.

A New York state Democratic party source said Hochul made the endorsement because she wants to prevent former Gov. Andrew Cuomo from being mayor while she runs for re-election. Michael Nigro

“Curtis will be mayor this year, Elise Stefanik will be governor next year, and the nonsense will finally end.”

The potential rival for governor also slammed Hochul’s announcement.

“As I always said, it was only a matter of time before the Worst Governor in America Kathy Hochul would bend the knee to the Communist Antisemite Zohran Mamdani,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik.

“At the exact moment when New Yorkers are looking for strong leadership from their Governor with a majority opposing Zohran Mamdani, Kathy Hochul embraces this raging Communist who will destroy New York making it less affordable and more dangerous – once again putting criminals and communists first, and New Yorkers LAST.”

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Stefanik said, “Hochul OWNS every [Mamdani] radical position like defunding the police, releasing violent criminals on our streets, closing local small businesses in favor of government grocery stores, massive tax hikes, abolishing border law enforcement, and every heinous pro-Hamas antisemitic position.”

Radio talk show host and supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis called Hochul’s endorsement spineless.

“She has no balls. They probably threatened her. I think they threatened her with a primary. I think she didn’t want to get a primary,” he said. “The only person who can save us is Trump. I think they are going to get less money.”

Michael Henry, a GOP contender for New York attorney general, echoed Catsimatidis’s remarks.

“He’s 33 and he’s never had a real job. Just admit you are endorsing him out of fear,” he tweeted at Hochul.

Nassau County Republicans said to expect more ads and mailers linking their Democratic opponents to the Hochul-Mamdani “twins.”

“Governor Hochul’s endorsement of Communist and antiSemite Mamdani for Mayor of NYC is a betrayal of all the freedom-loving residents of New York State,” said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican up for re-election.

“Both my parents were World War II veterans and they would be embarrassed to have a Governor of their state embrace such an anti-American candidate. Governor Hochul has chosen to back a radical hate-mongering hater. We will never forget her treachery.”

Democratic lawmakers who represent heavily orthodox Jewish constituencies will not be jumping on the Mamdani bandwagon just because Hochul did and are now rethinking their support of the governor.

Brooklyn Councilman Simcha Felder said, “I would not consider supporting her [Hochul] either!”

“Wait, did he [Mamdani] address the fears and concerns on what it’s like to be a visible Jew in New York City in 2025? Did I miss it?” Brooklyn Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein (D-Borough Park, Midwood) said incredulously.

Additional reporting by Vaughn Golden and Zoe Hussain