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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Sunday formally endorsed New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, in the general election this November.
She announced her endorsement in a New York Times op-ed Sunday evening, stressing the importance of working together with the city’s mayor.
“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,” the more moderate Democrat wrote in the piece. “Tonight I am endorsing Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani.”
Mamdani, a democratic socialist, won the Democratic nomination earlier this summer, but some party leaders have withheld their endorsements, citing concerns that some of his policy views could lean too far to the left.
But recent polls show Mamdani with a commanding lead in the race over his opponents. Even in head-to-head match-ups with each opponent, Mamdani takes the lead, according to recent polls.
Hochul said she arrived at her decision after having “frank conversations” with Mamdani over the past few months.
“We’ve had our disagreements. 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 she raised concerns about ensuring the New York City Police Department (NYPD) 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,” she wrote.
Hochul said she also raised the issue of antisemitism with the Democratic candidate, and they discussed “the need to combat” its rise “urgently and unequivocally.”
“I’ve been glad to see him meet with Jewish leaders across the city, listening and addressing their concerns directly. I look forward to working together to make sure New Yorkers of all faiths feel safe and welcome in New York City,” Hochul wrote.
She also said she emphasized the importance of attracting businesses to New York so it remains the “center of the global economy.”
Hochul talked about the importance of making life affordable in New York and said she “needed to know the next mayor would not be someone who would surrender one inch to Donald Trump.”
“I didn’t leave my conversations with him aligned on every issue. But I am confident that he has the courage, urgency and optimism New York City needs to lead it through the challenges of this moment.”
Hochul acknowledged she and Mamdani are “unlikely allies” but said New Yorkers deserve political leaders not focused on “grievances or grudges” but instead ready “to fight like hell.”
“Zohran and I don’t see eye to eye on everything, and I don’t expect us to. I will always reserve the right to disagree honestly and to argue passionately. But I also believe that New York State and New York City are at their best when we stand together against those who attempt to tear us apart,” she wrote.
“For all these reasons, I am endorsing Zohran Mamdani in the upcoming election for mayor. And I look forward to working with him to ensure that New York City’s best days lie ahead.”
Mamdani said he was thankful for the backing.
“I’m grateful for the Governor’s support in unifying our party, her resolve in standing up to Trump, and her focus on making New York affordable. I look forward to the great work we will accomplish together,” he posted on social media. “Our movement is only growing stronger.”
