Harris Endorses Mamdani as NYC mayoral race tightens; many Democrats stay on the sidelines

Vice President Kamala Harris endorsed Zohran Mamdani on Monday, giving the New York City mayoral candidate his most high-profile backing to date as the race heads toward the November election. In an interview with Rachel Maddow on MSNBC, Harris said, “Look, as far as I’m concerned, he’s the Democratic nominee and he should be supported.” When Maddow pressed whether Harris would personally endorse his candidacy, Harris replied, “I support the Democrat in the race, sure.”

Mamdani’s campaign has cultivated a broad roster of progressive backers, underscoring a widening base of support even as other prominent Democrats have been slower to publicly weigh in. Ocasio-Cortez, a leading progressive voice in Congress, endorsed Mamdani ahead of the June primary, telling the New York Times that he had demonstrated an ability to mobilize working‑class New Yorkers and that the city needed someone who could build a strong coalition. Sanders, another Brooklyn native and longtime progressive advocate, followed with praise for Mamdani as a “visionary” leading a grass-roots movement and later joined him on the campaign trail. Following the primary, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Elizabeth Warren also publicly backed Mamdani in the weeks that followed, with Warren arguing that the candidate’s plan to raise taxes and expand universal childcare aligned with her own policy priorities.

Letitia James, the New York state attorney general who has sued the Trump administration and been a frequent target of federal investigators, endorsed Mamdani before the June primary, comparing him to Barack Obama in terms of potential impact. Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsed Mamdani in an op‑ed published in August, lauding his affordability agenda and his pledge to create neighborhoods where opportunity is within reach. Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie followed two days later, praising Mamdani’s “romantic” vision for the city’s future. Other notable endorsements include Rep. Adriano Espaillat, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Rep. Pat Ryan, Rep. Nydia Velázquez, former Rep. Jamaal Bowman and New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, along with numerous state lawmakers and aligned organizations. In the wake of the endorsement wave, Mamdani noted that Harris’s support “underscores that our fight for affordability is striking a chord not just here in New York, but with Democrats across the country.”

Still, several of the party’s most powerful officials have not publicly endorsed Mamdani. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — both longtime New York figures — have not offered public endorsement, though they have met with Mamdani since his primary win. Jeffries told CNN he plans to weigh in “sooner rather than later,” and Schumer said he would “continue talking to him” ahead of the general election, declining to offer a timeline for endorsement. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand also has not endorsed Mamdani, citing concerns over remarks he has made about Israel and the Gaza conflict. Jay Jacobs, the chairman of New York’s state Democratic Party, said he would not back Mamdani because of policy disagreements on Israel and other issues.

The ongoing dynamic comes as Mamdani faces a divided field in a race that has drawn nationwide attention in part because he defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary. Cuomo is running as an independent in the general election, a move that has added a layer of complexity to the party’s efforts to consolidate a unified front against potential Republican opposition. The contest has also been watched for signals about the broader direction of the party, with leading progressives backing Mamdani and more established figures taking a cautious approach.

Mamdani has been outspoken in his criticism of Israel’s government and has pressed for Palestinian rights, while repeatedly condemning antisemitism and defending his stance against the charge that he is opposed to Jewish New Yorkers. Polls have indicated Mamdani leads among Jewish voters in New York City, a demographic dynamic that has shaped some officials’ calculations about endorsements and messaging as the campaign moves toward the general election.

Analysts note that endorsements have not merely mirrored ideology but also reflected concerns about governance style, affordability, and how Mamdani would manage a city facing housing costs, homelessness, and public safety challenges. Warren and other backers have highlighted his tax-and-services approach as central to delivering universal child care and making the city more affordable, a package that fans say could energize a broad coalition of voters who feel left behind by a politics of incremental change.

With six weeks left before Election Day, the status of endorsements remains a live variable in a race that has already produced an upset in the Democratic primary. Harris’s endorsement adds momentum to Mamdani’s campaign and could influence donors and organizational support as the general election nears. Yet the walk‑back risk for any candidate facing a fractured field remains real, and the coming weeks could see more high‑profile figures weighing in or withholding public support as they evaluate the broader political landscape in New York and national politics at large.