AOC backs Mamdani

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez finally came out with her slate for mayor, ranking fellow Queens electeds one and two. AP photo by Jacquelyn Martin.

By Ryan Schwach

Queens and Bronx Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the most prominent figures of the progressive movement in America, endorsed her fellow Queens elected, Zohran Mamdani, in the race for New York City mayor on Thursday.

AOC made her long awaited mayoral endorsement on Thursday morning, endorsing Mamdani – with whom her district overlaps in Astoria – first, another Queens elected in Adrienne Adams second, Comptroller Brad Lander third, followed by former Comptroller Scott Stringer and State Senator Zellnor Myrie.

“New York City needs a mayor who will put the needs of working people first, and rebuild trust in our city’s government,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani has demonstrated a real ability on the ground to put together a coalition of working-class New Yorkers that is strongest to lead the pack. In the final stretch of the race, we need to get very real about that.”

AOC had taken her time making her picks, leaving some to wonder if the darling of the nation’s progressive movement would back the Democratic Socialists of America-backed Mamdani, or one of the non-DSA aligned progressives.

Mamdani said on Thursday he was thrilled with the endorsement, regardless of when it came.

“Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a once in a lifetime generation leader who has led the fight for working people in Congress,” he said on X.

Speaking with reporters, Mamdani said the timing was “perfect.”

“To have her endorsement with just a few weeks to go, it's the perfect time to receive that, and I can't wait to win this race with it,” he said.

In her announcement, Ocasio-Cortez called on her supporters to wholly reject the race’s frontrunner, Andrew Cuomo, who is also from Queens.

“Leave the bubble next to his name blank,” she said. “This is our most effective tool to protect NYC institutions from being molded to maximize impunity for Cuomo’s bully politics.”

AOC previously rolled out endorsements for a few progressive Council incumbents in local races, as well as Queens candidate Erycka Montoya, who is running to replace Francisco Moya in District 21.