Hochul Endorses Mamdani for Mayor of New York

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York endorsed Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City on Sunday night in a guest essay in The New York Times Opinion section, providing critical support ahead of the November election.

Ms. Hochul’s endorsement, after months of deliberation, is the latest sign that Democratic leaders who have been skeptical of Mr. Mamdani’s leftist views are beginning to coalesce around him.

Ms. Hochul and Mr. Mamdani represent divergent sectors of their party. She is a moderate who recently declared herself a lover of capitalism, vowed not to raised taxes and supports Israel. He is a democratic socialist who wants higher taxes on the richest New Yorkers and is highly critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza.

The two leaders also have vastly different life stories: Ms. Hochul, 67, is from Buffalo and patiently rose through her party’s ranks; Mr. Mamdani, 33, was born in Uganda and grew up in Manhattan and surprised the political world with his victory in the Democratic primary in June.

Ms. Hochul said in her essay that she had been talking to Mr. Mamdani for months and that they had some 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,” she wrote. “I heard a leader who is focused on making New York City affordable — a goal I enthusiastically support.”

Ms. Hochul and Mr. Mamdani are both focused on addressing the affordability crisis in the state and the city and could each benefit from their new alliance. Ms. Hochul is up for re-election next year, and she is facing a primary challenge from her lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado. If Mr. Mamdani is elected, he could help protect her left flank, but also prove a liability in the general election, where she could face Representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican and a strong supporter of President Trump.

Mr. Mamdani is leading in the polls, but some prominent Democrats have not yet endorsed him, including Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, the minority leaders in the U.S. Senate and House. His rivals, former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who is running as an independent, and Curtis Sliwa, the Republican candidate, have argued that Mr. Mamdani is too far to the left and too inexperienced.

Ms. Hochul’s endorsement could help prove that establishment Democrats view Mr. Mamdani as someone they can work with. If Mr. Mamdani wins, he will need Ms. Hochul to help enact his ambitious agenda. Mr. Mamdani has pledged to implement free buses and universal child care, among other programs, and will need help from state lawmakers to pay for them.

Ms. Hochul’s decision was a blow to Mr. Mamdani’s more moderate political opponents, who have worked to stop Democratic Party leaders from backing him to try to clear a path to defeating Mr. Mamdani. It will also put her at odds with many of her own donors in real estate and finance, who view Mr. Mamdani as a direct threat to their businesses and are organizing to defeat him.

Mayor Eric Adams, who is also running as an independent and is in fourth place in the polls, has been weighing whether to exit the race. And President Trump has said that he wants to stop Mr. Mamdani and would prefer to see two of his opponents drop out.

Ms. Hochul said recently that Mr. Trump should not meddle in the race.

“Contrary to what the president thinks, he’s not a king, he’s not a kingmaker, and he should not be anointing the next mayor of New York City,” Ms. Hochul said.

Edward F. Cox, the Republican state chairman, said in a statement that Ms. Hochul had endorsed an “an avowed communist” for mayor, repeating a claim made by Mr. Trump, and called Mr. Mamdani antisemitic. (Mr. Mamdani is a democratic socialist, not a communist, and has denied accusations that he is antisemitic.)

“It’s no wonder Kathy Hochul’s New York continues to lead the nation in out-migration: New Yorkers are fleeing Democrats’ worst-in-the-nation tax and regulatory regime, as well as their open embrace of extremism,” Mr. Cox said.