Lefty firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed fellow Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani on Thursday as her pick for New York City mayor.
“Assembly member 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,” the congresswoman told the New York Times as she revealed her preferred slate in the June 24 primary.
“In the final stretch of the race, we need to get very real about that.”
AOC’s backing could prove to be a huge boost for the 33-year-old Queens Assemblyman — potentially closing the gap between him and frontrunner, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in the crowded primary race.
“In 2018, AOC shocked the world and changed our politics for the better with her historic victory,” Mamdani in the wake of the endorsement. “On June 24, we will do the same.”
Mamdani, who has been the talk of the town since pulling off a historic grassroots fundraising and canvassing effort, has zeroed in on young, white, ultra-left New Yorkers in his bid to become mayor.
After Mamdani, Ocasio-Cortez plans to rank City Council speaker Adrienne Adams second and city comptroller Brad Lander third.
Lander, for his part, tried to take a victory lap off the back of AOC’s support — blasting out a tweet saying: “Proud to have @aoc’s support in our fight for a safer, more affordable, and better-run city for all New Yorkers.”
