What Governor Hochul’s Endorsement of Zohran Mamdani Means for the Democratic Party
New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Source: CNN.
On September 14th, New York Governor Kathy Hochul formally endorsed Zohran Mamdani, New York state assemblyman and the Democratic nominee in New York City’s mayoral race. Hochul announced her endorsement in a New York Times guest essay, citing her and Mamdani’s shared priorities of tackling the city’s affordability crisis and standing up to the Trump administration.
The two make an unlikely pairing: Mamdani, only 33 years old, is a progressive Democratic Socialist. Hochul, more than double Mamdani’s age, is a moderate and self-proclaimed “staunch capitalist” and an establishment Democrat through and through. Hochul acknowledged that they “don’t see eye to eye on everything.” They differ on several key issues, many of which are emblematic of the larger divisions between the progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party. These ideological divisions have tested the stakes and stretched the canvas of the party’s so-called “big tent”. The Democratic establishment has proven to be unwilling to cede influence to their further-left counterparts, even as their chances of electoral survival in the status quo become more and more dire. Hochul’s endorsement is less about ideological alignment, and more about recognizing a pragmatic reality: that Mamdani and the burgeoning progressive flank may be the lifeline the party needs.
On crime and public safety, Mamdani’s main policy proposal is the creation of a Department of Community Safety, which will invest in citywide mental health programs, expand gun-prevention programs, and increase funding to hate-violence prevention programs. Hochul supports a strong police force. She urged Mamdani in her essay to ensure “strong leadership at the helm of the N.Y.P.D.” and to provide the police with all resources necessary to keep New York’s streets and subways safe.
Hochul made it clear that affordability is “the No. 1 concern” she shares with Mamdani. Nevertheless, they disagree significantly on how to solve this crisis. Mamdani has proposed freezing rent, building more affordable housing, opening city-owned grocery stores, and eliminating bus fares, among other policies. The costs of these policies would be offset by a proposed tax rate increase on corporations and the wealthiest top percent of New Yorkers. That proposal is a no-go for the pro-business Hochul, who has strong connections to corporate allies and donors.
Additionally, Mamdani has been critical of Israel, accusing it of committing genocide against the Palestinian people. He believes that Israel should be “a state with equal rights,” not a Jewish state. He also pledged that as mayor, he would order the NYPD to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he set foot in New York. Meanwhile, Hochul is pro-Israel. She has reiterated her support for Israel in the conflict in Gaza, stating that Israel has a right to defend itself. She has staunchly opposed any efforts to reduce or end New York state’s financial support of Israel and has removed pro-Palestinian curriculum from New York state colleges.
Hochul’s endorsement has strong implications for the mayoral race. It comes in the midst of a surge in the polls for Mamdani. He is head-and-shoulders above his opponents, which include former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. While there has not been a noticeable uptick in Mamdani’s already commanding lead in the polls following the endorsement, support from Hochul, a powerful establishment figure, could help further solidify Mamdani’s lead and reinforce Mamdani’s path to victory in November.
Strategically speaking Hochul’s endorsement could prove to be very important. Hochul is running for re-election in 2026, and embracing Mamdani will likely boost her credibility with the progressive flank of her party. Meanwhile, almost all of Mamdani’s ambitious proposals, such as the corporate and income tax hikes, will require at least some level of cooperation with Hochul and the state legislature. While Hochul would likely act as a counterbalance to much of Mamdani’s progressive agenda, the endorsement is a sign of a more constructive working relationship should Mamdani take office. This is mutually beneficial: Hochul can assuage businesses’ and moderates’ fears by acting as a stabilizing force, while Mamdani gains a greater likelihood of enacting his platform in a cooperative city-state dynamic, which he had previously described as “war”. However, given that the two are so staunchly opposed on several key issues, it is likely that much of Mamdani’s proposals will be watered down, which may frustrate his supporters.
What does Hochul’s endorsement signal for the future of the Democratic Party? It could be seen a step towards a more unified Democratic front—opposing factions joining forces to tackle shared issues and stand against a common threat in the Trump administration—but it has not led to a wave of subsequent endorsements that Mamdani supporters may have hoped for, highlighting the deep rifts still present in a party struggling to find its footing after floundering in the 2024 election.
Mamdani’s progressive policy proposals and anti-Israel stance have ruffled the feathers of the party’s moderate bigwigs. Many of New York’s top Democrats, including Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, have refused to budge, continuing to hold out on supporting Mamdani. With election day less than six weeks away, it remains to be seen whether Hochul’s embrace of Mamdani will prove to be a blueprint to follow—casting aside ideological differences and rallying around a younger, more progressive identity that seems to be resonating well with voters—or simply an outlier in a Democratic party defined by infighting. Right now, unfortunately, it looks more like the latter.