Mamdani tests clout in New York primaries with Sanders rally
New York mayor Zohran Mamdani is backing insurgent Democrats, putting his rising profile into a primary fight with party leaders and GOP strategists watching.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
4 min read
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is using next week’s Democratic primaries to test how far his influence now reaches beyond City Hall. The 34-year-old democratic socialist, once treated as a liability by many party figures, is trying to help remake Democratic politics in New York and Washington, according to The Associated Press.
Mamdani is scheduled to appear Thursday in Brooklyn with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont at a get-out-the-vote rally for candidates who share his politics. The event comes days before Tuesday’s primaries and includes challengers to sitting Democrats as well as candidates for state Assembly seats.
The mayor’s rise has shifted quickly since he took office six months ago. The Associated Press reported that Mamdani has drawn praise from President Donald Trump and from former Democratic critics including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, while also becoming a prominent figure in the region’s sports revival.
The candidates he is backing
Mamdani has endorsed political organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier in New York’s 13th Congressional District, where she is challenging Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The district includes parts of upper Manhattan and the Bronx.
He is also supporting former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander against Rep. Dan Goldman in New York’s 10th District. In New York’s 7th District, Mamdani is backing democratic socialist state Assembly Member Claire Valdez against Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who has the support of outgoing Rep. Nydia Velazquez.
Faiz Shakir, a senior adviser to Sanders and a friend of Mamdani’s, told The Associated Press that Mamdani sees an opening to change the Democratic Party. Shakir said Mamdani is not acting out of spite toward party leaders but is backing candidates he believes have a stronger vision, even at the risk of losing.
Valdez told The Associated Press that voters are dissatisfied with party leadership and believe Democrats have not opposed Trump strongly enough. She said she wants to “bring a partner to Zohran to Washington.”
Reynoso told The Associated Press that Mamdani’s endorsement has changed the race. He said the mayor has “a celebrity status” unlike anything he has seen and that Mamdani’s support “matters,” even as Reynoso described himself as a progressive with a record in the community.
Issues driving the races
The candidates Mamdani supports are largely close to their opponents on major policy questions, according to The Associated Press, though they have drawn sharper lines on Israel’s war in Gaza. Lander, Valdez and Avila Chevalier have argued that their Democratic opponents are too accommodating toward Israel, echoing Mamdani’s criticism of Israeli leaders.
They have also leaned on themes that helped elect Mamdani mayor, including New York City’s cost of living and the influence of wealthy business interests. The campaigns have presented their candidates as new voices tied to the movement that carried Mamdani into office.
Washington watches the fight
House Democrats have been relieved that Mamdani has not become the drag on swing-district candidates that some had expected, The Associated Press reported. Still, his endorsements have intensified tensions inside the party, especially among moderates wary of his left-wing profile.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also from New York, has endorsed and campaigned for incumbents facing Mamdani-backed challengers. Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright, who works with House Democrats, told The Associated Press that Democrats need to amplify areas of agreement while handling disagreements more quietly.
Republicans are trying to make Mamdani a national symbol for Democratic candidates. The Associated Press reported that GOP operatives have sought to connect him to House candidates in swing districts in California, Colorado and Wisconsin, and expect him to factor into races in New York and New Jersey.
Mike Marinella, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, told The Associated Press that Mamdani’s socialist politics give Republicans a target as they argue Democrats lack a clear leader or message. Shakir rejected that argument, saying Sanders mentions Mamdani often at rallies and that crowds respond strongly.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.