Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez backs Zohran Mamdani for NYC mayor

The progressive standard-bearer endorsed the DSA upstart as he closes the gap with front-runner Andrew Cuomo.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is endorsing New York Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani as her top choice in the race for New York City mayor. | Ross D. Franklin/AP

NEW YORK — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has endorsed fellow Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as her first choice for New York City mayor, putting her high-profile mark on a primary where he has surged among progressives.

The lefty firebrand unveiled her preferred slate in the June 24 primary in an interview Thursday with The New York Times. She said she will rank Adrienne Adams, Brad Lander, Scott Stringer and Zellnor Myrie in that order after Mamdani. Adams, the City Council speaker, was also endorsed Thursday by Rep. Yvette Clarke as her No. 1 choice, POLITICO reports exclusively.

“Assemblymember 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 Times of the candidate whose district and platform overlaps with hers. “In the final stretch of the race, we need to get very real about that.”

Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement is among the most highly sought for liberal Democrats nationwide. The Bronx and Queens House member, whose national reach has widely expanded since her hometown’s last race for mayor, will help Mamdani present himself even more clearly as the favorite among the non-Cuomo contenders.

Her nods — which encourage voters to use the city’s relatively new ranked-choice voting system and keep former Gov. Andrew Cuomo off their ballots — comes late in the primary season. Only nine days remain before the start of early voting. The candidates whose common goal is to topple Cuomo have yet to cross-endorse each other. Ocasio-Cortez told the Times no joint appearances were in her immediate future.

But even someone with the political impact of her magnitude may not be enough to change Cuomo’s front-runner status. The former governor was the top target of attack Wednesday at a fierce debate co-hosted by POLITICO and WNBC-NY among nine contenders.

Cuomo and Mamdani, who has polled consistently in second place and is closing the gap with Cuomo, clashed mightily over who was best positioned to take on President Donald Trump.

Ocasio-Cortez, 35, and Mamdani, 33, share progressive values in addition to the parts of Queens they represent. She also represents parts of the Bronx. He has rallied left-leaning, younger voters with his call for free and fast bus service, a freeze on the rent and a push to tax the wealthy.

Cuomo, who is seeking a comeback after resigning in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations, has been the front-runner by double digits throughout the race. Some of Ocasio-Cortez’s congressional colleagues — Reps. Ritchie Torres, Greg Meeks and Adriano Espaillat — have endorsed Cuomo, even if they were among the slew of elected officials who called for his ouster four years ago.

Supporters of Cuomo’s rivals — including those affiliated with the DREAM, or Don’t Rank Evil Andrew for Mayor movement — see ranked-choice voting as an opportunity to block Cuomo’s return to elected office. But the left-leaning candidates running against him are still scrambling.