Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, the frontrunner in the race for mayor of America's most populous city, on Thursday landed the endorsement of one of New York City's most influential politicians.
Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat, arguably the city's most powerful Latino leader, is backing Mamdani, who, if elected in November, would become New York City's first Muslim mayor.
"We're past the primary, and the people of New York City have spoken," Epsaillat said Thursday. "If there is a common denominator in every decision that I've made since I began to represent this district, in terms of supporting someone, it's called the Democratic Party."
Mamdani announced Epsaillat's endorsement in a social media post Thursday morning, writing, "Thank you @EspaillatNY for joining this campaign for an affordable NYC and for fighting Trump's authoritarianism in DC. Adriano and I know that the only way we can protect this city is by standing firm in our values and standing up for working class and immigrant New Yorkers."
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Espaillat, in a statement, highlighted that "Mamdani brings clarity, discipline, and a deep commitment to tackling the stubborn issues facing New York City. He understands our city doesn't work if everyday New Yorkers - the very people that keep it moving forward - can't afford to live here."
Mamdani and Espaillat teamed up for a campaign event on Thursday afternoon to formally announce the five-term congressman's endorsement of the 33-year-old Ugandan-born state assemblyman from Queens.
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Espaillat's endorsement of Mamdani, who two weeks ago convincingly defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates to win the Democratic Party mayoral nomination, is seen as a setback for Cuomo.
"His endorsement is not only immensely meaningful personally, but also politically, because my dream as the next mayor of New York City is to deliver for the people who make this city great. And the only way we can deliver that is together. It is through partnership," Mamdani told his supporters Thursday.
Cuomo, who resigned from office in 2021 during his third term as governor amid multiple scandals and who was aiming for a political comeback, was endorsed in the Democratic primary by Espaillat. And the two politicians teamed up at a rally on the eve of the kickoff of early voting in the primary election.
While Cuomo lost the Democratic mayoral nomination to Mamdani, he's running, as of now, on the November ballot as an independent, which state rules allow.
Democratic Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped his primary bid earlier this year amid sinking poll numbers in the wake of numerous controversies, is seeking re-election as an independent.
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Also on the ballot in the general election are Jim Walden, a former federal prosecutor running as an independent, and Guardian Angels co-founder Curtis Sliwa, who, for a second straight election, is the Republican mayoral nominee.
Espaillat, the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump's sweeping and controversial second-term immigration crackdown.
And Espaillat, who backed Adams in the mayor's 2021 election, was thought to have grown frustrated with the mayor's working relationship with Trump on immigration enforcement.
Adams' poll numbers were sinking even before he was indicted last year on five counts, which accused the mayor of bribery and fraud as part of an alleged "long-running" scheme to personally profit from contacts with foreign officials.
The mayor made repeated overtures to Trump and the Justice Department earlier this year dismissed the corruption charges, so Adams could potentially work with the Trump administration on its illegal immigration crackdown.
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News of Espaillat's endorsement of Mamdani was first reported by The New York Times.
Mamdani surged to a primary victory thanks to an energetic campaign that put a major focus on affordability and New York City's high cost of living.
Mamdani made smart use of social media platforms, including TikTok, as he engaged low-propensity voters. He proposed eliminating fares to ride New York City's vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) "tuition-free," freezing rents on municipal housing, offering "free childcare" for children up to age 5, and setting up government-run grocery stores.
And thanks in part to the efforts of a massive grassroots army of volunteers, he rode a wave of support from younger and progressive voters to catapult into first place.
Since his primary victory, Republicans have relentlessly painted Mamdani as an extremist and anchored him to Democrats across the country ahead of next year's midterm elections.
The attacks stretched from down ballot on the campaign trail all the way up to the White House, with Trump claiming that Mamdani was "a 100% Communist Lunatic." Mamdani continued to push back on Trump's "authoritarian" leadership during his campaign event Thursday.
"When I have had to read the smears and the slander from Republican congresspeople, I need not look far to find a leader who has had to endure the same on the basis of his name, on the basis of where he comes from, on the basis of who he fights for. And in that same story, an inspiration of how to rise, not only above, but through and deliver for those same people," Mamdani said.
