New York Governor Race

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self‑described socialist who won last year’s Democratic mayoral primary upset, has formally endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul’s re‑election bid, calling her a leader who "believe[s] in transformation" and saying she has "earned" his backing despite differences over taxing the wealthy. Writing in The Nation, Mamdani praised Hochul’s willingness to engage in "honest dialogue" and highlighted shared work on universal child care, even as he reiterated his push for higher taxes on the richest New Yorkers to address "profound income inequality." Hochul, whose standing among Democrats has improved in part through open resistance to President Trump’s second‑term agenda, responded that Mamdani "understands that we need to build a New York that everyone can afford" and vowed to fight "Donald Trump’s attacks on this state" on affordability and health care. The endorsement undercuts Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado’s long‑shot primary challenge from the left, coming just a day after he picked democratic socialist India Walton as his running mate, and signals that a key figure on New York’s progressive flank is closing ranks behind the incumbent. Republicans quickly seized on the alliance, with the Republican Governors Association blasting Hochul on social media for embracing Mamdani’s "socialist playbook," a line of attack they hope will resonate with suburban and upstate voters in November.