Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani and Mark Levine, the city’s likely next comptroller, appeared together Wednesday and offered support for each other’s campaigns, even as the dynamic of their potential new roles could lead to tension down the road.
Their joint appearance on the Upper East Side was focused on The Surrey, a hotel that recently switched ownership and whose new management is beign accused of refusing to rehire unionized workers despite a local law that requires it to do so. It also marked the first time Mamdani and Levine have appeared for a public press conference since they won their respective Democratic primaries in June.
Both Mamdani and Levine, rallying with dozens of terminated Surrey workers outside the hotel, blasted management’s refusal to keep the employees on staff and voiced support for efforts by their Hotel and Gaming Trades Council union to file a lawsuit over the matter.
They also offered words of support for each other.
“I’m proud to be on the Democratic ticket citywide, and I have said clearly from right after the primary that I’m proud to endorse the full Democratic ticket, including Assembly member Mamdani,” said Levine, Manhattan’s current borough president who’s not facing a competitive challenge in November’s comptroller election. “I think you see a very broad coalition out here today because we all care so deeply about hotel workers.”
Mamdani, who’s polling as the favorite to become the city’s next mayor, returned the favor:
“I’m proud to support the full Democratic ticket, and, yes, that also includes our soon-to-be comptroller,” said Mamdani, who supported Levine’s opponent, Justin Brannan, in June’s comptroller primary.
Though both Democrats, Levine and Mamdani are seen as being from two different political schools, with the mayoral nominee seen as being further to the left.
The comptroller, the city’s fiscal watchdog, traditionally serves as a check on the mayor, a dynamic that could lead to tensions between Mamdani and Levine if they’re both victorious in November’s elections.
As reported by City & State last week, some of Levine’s supporters hope he will push back on aspects of Mamdani’s left-wing agenda if the socialist democrat takes over the reins at City Hall.
Also at The Surrey press conference was Manhattan Councilwoman Julie Menin, who’s vying to become the Council’s speaker next year. She has not endorsed Mamdani.
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