Gov. Hochul endorses Zohran Mamdani for NYC mayor after nearly 3-month wait

It took nearly three months, but the top Democrat in New York state has finally endorsed New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani.

“New York City deserves a mayor who will stand up to Donald Trump and make life more affordable for New Yorkers. That’s @ZohranKMamdani,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday evening in a social media post.

The governor’s endorsement is significant, as it may help Mamdani secure the backing of other key members of the party’s establishment. And it will likely put more pressure on two other top Democrats in New York State who are still withholding their backing of Mamdani – Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the top two Democratic Party leaders in Congress.

Mamdani, in a statement, said he was “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.”

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Hochul announced her support for Mamdani, the 33-year-old democratic socialist state lawmaker from Queens who shocked the political world in June with his convincing win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates to capture the Democratic Party’s mayoral nomination, in the New York Times.

“In the past few months, I’ve had frank conversations with him. We’ve had our disagreements,” the governor 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.”

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The Ugandan-born Mamdani, if elected, would become the first Muslim and first millennial mayor of the nation’s most populous city. He is the clear frontrunner in the latest public opinion polls in the mayoral race in the Democrat-dominated city.

Mamdani is sitting on 22-point margin leads over Cuomo and the rest of the field in surveys released last week from Quinnipiac University and New York Times/Siena College. And a survey from Emerson University and the Hill also indicates Mamdani comfortably ahead by double digits.

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Guardian Angels co-founder Curtis Sliwa, who for a second straight election is the Republican mayoral nominee in the Democrat-dominated city, was a distant third in the polls, with embattled incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent after deciding to skip the Democratic primary amid anemic polling, further down in fourth place.

Both Sliwa and Adams have repeatedly committed to staying in the race in recent weeks amid multiple reports that Trump’s advisors floated administration roles for both mayoral hopefuls if they dropped out.

On Sunday, following a new report that Adams would drop out in the coming days, the mayor’s spokesman fired back.

“Let me be perfectly clear: any rumor or tweet suggesting Mayor Adams is stepping down this week is complete bulls—,” spokesman Todd Shapiro wrote in a statement. “These lies are being spread by desperate opponents who can’t match the mayor’s record, his campaign energy, or his support across this city.”

Mamdani surged to the Democratic primary victory thanks to an energetic campaign that put a major focus on affordability and New York City’s high cost of living. It was fueled by a grassroots army of supporters and backing from top national progressive champions, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Mamdani made smart use of social media platforms, including TikTok, as he engaged low-propensity voters. He proposed eliminating fares to ride New York City’s vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) “tuition-free,” freezing rents on municipal housing, offering “free childcare” for children up to age 5 and setting up government-run grocery stores.

Mamdani has been heavily criticized by his rivals for his past critical comments of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), and his proposal to shift certain responsibilities away from the NYPD and focus on social services and community-based program. 

Hochul recently said an apology from Mamdani was in order, and the mayoral hopeful told the New York Times a couple of days ago that he intended to apologize.

Hochul said that in her conversations with Mamdani she made “it very clear that our police officers should have every resource to keep our streets and subways safe. I urged him to ensure that there is strong leadership at the helm of the N.Y.P.D. — and he agreed.”

The governor also addressed Mamdani’s past critical comments about Israel.

“We discussed the need to combat the rise of antisemitism urgently and unequivocally. I’ve been glad to see him meet with Jewish leaders across the city, listening and addressing their concerns directly,” Hochul said.

Hochul’s endorsement may not only benefit Mamdani, but could also help the governor shore up support from the Democrats’ progressive base as she seeks re-election next year.

Mamdani praised Hochul for her focus on tackling affordability. 

“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.

But Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, a top Trump ally who is expected later this year to launch a 2026 run for governor, took aim at Hochul.

“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,” Stefanik argued in a statement.