New York—NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist known for transformative policies, endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul for re-election on Thursday in a carefully crafted op-ed published in The Nation.
The endorsement signals an unlikely alliance between two leaders from opposite ends of the Democratic spectrum, with Mamdani representing the progressive left and Hochul positioning herself as a moderate centrist. This move comes as Hochul prepares for a competitive June Democratic primary against her own lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, who is running a progressive campaign.
Mamdani's endorsement, published Thursday morning, emphasized that while he and Hochul disagree on fundamental issues—particularly the taxation of wealthy New Yorkers—their shared commitment to delivering results for New Yorkers matters more than their ideological differences. The mayor highlighted a recent victory: securing over $1 billion in state funding from Hochul's office to launch universal childcare in New York City, lifting a burden of more than $22,500 from families wanting to stay in the city.
Mamdani wrote in The Nation, explaining that he has
This statement comes after months of collaboration between City Hall and Albany, marking what Mamdani described as a new era of productivity after years of conflict between the two offices.
Hochul expressed gratitude for Mamdani's support, stating she knows he will
The governor had previously endorsed Mamdani during his successful 2025 mayoral campaign, establishing a foundation of mutual political respect. Together, they have fought to protect New Yorkers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and defended critical funding for infrastructure projects.
The endorsement immediately drew criticism from Democratic Socialists in the state legislature, many of whom are Mamdani's closest allies. State Sen. Jabari Brisport, despite his closeness to the mayor, stated plainly:
Brisport has already endorsed Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who is positioning himself as the true progressive alternative to Hochul's centrism and promising to raise taxes on the wealthy—a key difference between Mamdani and Hochul.
Assembly Member Emily Gallagher initially questioned Mamdani's commitment to the progressive movement, saying
and
However, an hour later she requested that her critical comments not be published, softening her stance and acknowledging that
Mamdani acknowledged his political differences with Hochul in his op-ed, writing that
The endorsement strengthens Hochul's position as she faces challenges from both the progressive left in her party and Republicans on the right. Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman's campaign seized on the endorsement as evidence that New York's Democratic Party has shifted too far left, with a GOP spokesperson stating that
Other Democratic Socialists chose to avoid taking sides in the governor's race. State Sen. Julia Salazar called the situation
but said she would not make an endorsement, while Assembly Member Claire Valdez, whom Mamdani has backed for Congress, similarly declined to endorse anyone in the gubernatorial race.
Mamdani's endorsement reflects a broader challenge facing the Democratic Party in New York: balancing ideological purity with pragmatic governance. The mayor wrote that
His decision to support Hochul despite policy disagreements tests whether this vision of unified yet honest Democratic politics can survive primary season.
— NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, The Nation
Mamdani's endorsement matters because it signals that pragmatic partnership between ideological rivals remains possible in Democratic politics, even as progressive energy pulls toward more transformative candidates like Delgado. The real test comes in June's Democratic primary, where voters will ultimately decide whether Hochul's centrism or Delgado's progressivism better represents their vision for New York's future.
Do You Know?
Mamdani's election as NYC Mayor in 2025 represented a historic shift: at just 34 years old, he became the city's first democratic socialist mayor since the early 20th century, riding a wave of grassroots organizing that included nearly 100,000 campaign volunteers who knocked on millions of doors across the city.
Key Terms
• Democratic Socialist: A political ideology that combines democracy with socialism, supporting both democratic governance and economic systems where workers have greater control over their workplaces.
• Primary Election: An internal party election where voters choose which candidate will represent their party in the general election.
• ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement): A federal law enforcement agency responsible for immigration enforcement that Mamdani and Hochul have jointly worked to defend New Yorkers against.
Image from Wikimedia Commons