WASHINGTON - Progressive New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is backing Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race, delivering a boost to the candidate who’s behind former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the polls.
Ocasio-Cortez’s political momentum has been surging in recent months after she joined Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on a “fighting oligarchy” tour across the country and has been thrust into the national spotlight. Her endorsement of Mamdani, who is currently a New York state assembly member, gives him a slight edge compared to his opponents.
“Assembly member Mamdani has demonstrated a real ability on the ground to put together a coalition of working-class New Yorkers that is strongest to lead the pack,” Ocasio-Cortez told The New York Times in an interview announcing her endorsement. “In the final stretch of the race, we need to get very real about that.”
Mamdani wrote on X that Ocasio-Cortez is a “once-in-a-generation leader who has led the fight for working people in Congress."
The Democratic primary for the mayoral race is on June 24. “With @AOC’s support and this movement behind us, we will do the same,” he wrote.
