Mayor Mamdani is throwing his weight behind Claire Valdez, a current assembly member now running for the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Nydia Velázquez.
His support of Valdez, which was expected, puts him at odds with other progressive allies who’ve voiced support for Antonio Reynoso, the current Brooklyn borough president who is also running for the seat.
“I’m proud to stand behind this vision and to stand behind Claire, because I need a partner like her in Washington to fight for a city that people can afford in a democracy that meets the needs of working people,” Mamdani said at the Bushwick endorsement announcement.
Mamdani emphasized Valdez’s roots in the labor movement. Valdez, a former United Auto Workers organizer, also received the endorsement of the union on Friday.
Valdez, a relative political newcomer, was first elected to office in 2024. She was previously a labor organizer.
Reynoso, her opponent, has netted the support of Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, an ally to Mamdani, and is also likely to get the endorsement of Velázquez, the current rep for the district, which spans parts of Brooklyn and Queens, including the very progressive-leaning Williamsburg, Bushwick and Ridgewood.
Both Reynoso and Valdez operate within the same progressive flanks of the Democratic Party, and they are aligned on key issues like support for Palestine and strong support for labor rights, although Valdez generally leans further left.
If she were elected to represent the district, Valdez would join Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as one of the few democratic socialists in the House.
Valdez’s campaign shares an overlapping staff with the Mamdani campaign, including Mamdani advisor Morris Katz and former communications director Andrew Epstein.
Mamdani has now inserted himself into three congressional races, having backed former comptroller Brad Lander for NY-10 and dissuaded Councilmember Chi Osse from running a primary challenge against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Mamdani dodged when asked if he has concerns about playing too much of a kingmaker so early on in his term, instead opting to praise Valdez.
“I am so excited about this endorsement, frankly, and what I see in Claire Valdez is a vision that we have seen missing for far too long in our politics, and I’m excited at the coalition that she’s building,” he said.
