After Gov. Kathy Hochul finally endorsed him for mayor over the weekend, Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani declined to immediately return the favor Monday by backing her own reelection bid.
“My focus is on November,” Mamdani, a democratic socialist, told reporters when asked if he would endorse Hochul for a second term ahead of her 2026 reelection battle. “And I’m excited to have the governor’s support in that fight for November as we make it clear that that we can put the days of City Hall and Albany being at war in the past.”
Mamdani’s dodge came a day after Hochul, a moderate Democrat, formally endorsed him Sunday after declining to do so for weeks. Hochul’s endorsement put pressure on other top New York Democrats to back Mamdani, including U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who have so far declined to offer support for the mayoral front-runner.
The move by Mamdani comes as Hochul could face multiple intense political battles next year.
Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado has positioned himself to run to Hochul’s left in next summer’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, while Republican upstate Congresswoman Elise Stefanik plans to mount a GOP bid in the 2026 general election.
Hochul, who’s facing criticism from Republicans and even some moderate Dems for aligning herself with Mamdani, wrote in a New York Times-op-ed announcing the endorsement that she does not “see eye to eye on everything” with him.
“And I don’t expect us to,” she continued. “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 our best when we stand together against those who attempt to tear us apart.”
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