Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor on Thursday, arguing that the socialist assemblyman represented the progressive movement’s best shot at taking down front-runner Andrew Cuomo.
Notably, Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as her number-two pick on her five-person ranked-choice voting ballot, followed by Comptroller Brad Lander, former Comptroller Scott Stringer and state Sen. Zellnor Myrie.
The congresswoman’s long-awaited decision, shared in an interview with the New York Times, came after weeks of speculation about how she would use her rising influence within the Democratic Party to shape the primary in her home city. Her announcement came hours after Wednesday evening’s nine-way debate in which Mamdani and other candidates sharply criticized Cuomo on his record — prompting the former governor to hit back at Mamdani’s inexperience and left-wing positions.
“Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a once-in-a-generation leader and I am honored to have her endorsement as we seek to turn the page on the broken politics of the past,” Mamdani said in a statement. “In 2018, AOC shocked the world and changed our politics for the better with her historic victory. On June 24th, we will do the same.”
Ocasio-Cortez’s ranked-choice slate will come as a particular disappointment to third-ranked Lander, a veteran of progressive politics who had been perceived as Mamdani’s biggest competitor for the endorsement. But Mamdani’s momentum has left Lander struggling to distinguish himself in the crowded field.
Her second-choice pick of Adrienne Adams signals a belief that the well-liked council speaker, who has a moderate image and electoral base in Southeast Queens, could pose a bigger threat to Cuomo. Ocasio-Cortez’s team has asked the candidates seeking her endorsement to submit polling and strategy memos to prove their viability, the Times reported.
Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement has been closely watched due to her rising stature in the party — an April Siena College poll showed that 47% of New York voters view her favorably compared to 33% unfavorably, better marks than any other prominent official — and because of her influence on the 2021 mayoral race.
In that contest, she endorsed Maya Wiley weeks before the primary, an endorsement that helped Wiley consolidate progressive support and come within a few thousand votes of eclipsing Kathryn Garcia for second place in ranked-choice tallying.
It remains to be seen whether she can have the same influence on this year’s race, with much of the progressive left having already consolidated around Mamdani. Polls have consistently shown Mamdani finishing second behind Cuomo, with the latest major survey showing Mamdani losing to Cuomo by 9 points in the final ranked-choice round.
