New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has endorsed Zohran Mamdani in the New York mayor’s election.
Hochul, a Democrat, backed Mamdani in a New York Times opinion essay published Sunday evening.
“Over the last several months, I’ve had open discussions with him,” Hochul stated in the essay. “We’ve had our differences. However, in our talks, I saw a leader who shares my vision for a New York where children can grow up safely in their communities and where every family has access to opportunities.”
Hochul emphasized that she made it clear that police officers should be provided with all necessary resources to ensure the safety of streets and subways. She pushed for strong leadership at the NYPD, and he agreed with this perspective.
This endorsement happened only days after Mamdani, a state assemblymember and the Democratic candidate for New York mayor, promised in an interview with the Times to apologize for a 2020 Twitter comment labeling the NYPD as racist. Hochul mentioned at a press conference last week that such an apology was needed.
Hochul expressed appreciation for Mamdani’s emphasis on the cost of living issues and also urged him to tackle rising antisemitism, support city businesses, and oppose any attempts by the Trump administration to deploy federal agents and the National Guard on city streets.
“Zohran Mamdani and I will both boldly oppose the president’s extreme policies — with urgency, determination, and the defiance that characterizes New York,” she declared.
In a statement Sunday night, Mamdani thanked Hochul.
“I am eager to work alongside her to continue her legacy of returning money to New Yorkers and creating a safer, more resilient New York City where no one feels they have to leave to afford raising a family,” he stated.
