Socialist mayor Mamdani backs Hochul in move that could reshape New York governor race

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul is getting a big boost from the left flank of her party as she seeks re-election this year, thanks to the backing of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Mamdani, the socialist mayor of the nation's most populous city, on Thursday endorsed Hochul, saying, "I have come to trust Governor Hochul as someone willing to engage in an honest dialogue that leads to results New Yorkers deserve leaders who believe in transformation."

The endorsement by Mamdani — who, since shocking the nation with a Democratic mayoral primary victory last June, has skyrocketed in stature as a leader of the left — should give the moderate governor from upstate New York a key inroad with progressive voters in the blue-leaning northeastern state.

"New Yorkers deserve leaders who believe in transformation. Leaders who understand that hope is inspired by a vision, and sustained by change. Governor Kathy Hochul has earned my endorsement because she has chosen to govern in that spirit. And in this moment, that choice matters," Mamdani wrote in the progressive magazine "The Nation."

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But Mamdani, in endorsing Hochul, also highlighted his disagreement with the governor over raising taxes on the wealthy to pay for the proposals he pitched during his successful campaign for New York City mayor.

"The Governor and I do not agree on everything. We have real differences, particularly when it comes to taxation of the wealthiest, at a moment defined by profound income inequality," Mamdani wrote. "I continue to believe that the wealthiest among us can afford to pay just a little bit more."

Hochul, who's seen her political standing rise over the past year, in part due to her resistance to President Donald Trump's unprecedented second term agenda, highlighted the key issues of affordability and healthcare in a statement following Mamdani's endorsement.

"Mayor Mamdani understands that we need to build a New York that everyone can afford — I’m grateful for his partnership in finally bringing universal child care to New York, and I know that he’ll stand strong alongside me as we fight against Donald Trump’s attacks on this state," the governor wrote.

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The Republican Governors Association, in a social media post, took aim at Hochul, charging that she "wants to bring Mamdani’s socialist playbook to the rest of New York. A complete & total dumpster fire."

The governor backed Mamdani last September as the Democratic Party's mayoral nominee battled former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa in the general election mayoral showdown.

The endorsement comes as Hochul is facing a longshot primary challenge from the left from her own lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado.

Delgado on Wednesday chose a far-left politician with a history of legal and financial troubles as his running mate. The lieutenant governor named former Buffalo mayoral candidate India Walton, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, as his running mate in an effort to beef up his support among progressives.

But any boost Delgado may have received from the naming of Walton will likely be superseded by Mamdani's endorsement of Hochul.

And the latest public opinion poll in the Democratic primary race, released this week by Siena University, indicated Hochul has a massive 53-point lead over Delgado.

Hochul also picked her running mate on Wednesday, choosing Adrienne Adams, who served as New York City Council speaker from 2022 to 2025.

The all-female ticket is a first for a major party in the Empire State. And if elected, Adams would make history as New York State's first Black lieutenant governor.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is the all-but-certain GOP gubernatorial nominee.

Trump endorsed Blakeman in December after Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik dropped her bid for governor.

Then-Lt. Gov. Hochul was sworn in as New York’s first female governor in August 2021 after Cuomo, in the middle of his third-term, resigned in disgrace amid multiple scandals.

She defeated then-Rep. Lee Zeldin by just over six points in 2022 to win a full four-year term steering New York. Zeldin's showing was the best by a Republican gubernatorial nominee in blue-state New York since then-GOP Gov. George Pataki won re-election to a third term in 2002.

The latest polls in the 2026 race indicate Hochul holding a wide double-digit lead over Blakeman.