Kamala Harris' Zohran Mamdani endorsement contrasts with leading NY Democrats
Former Vice President Kamala Harris may have handed Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani his biggest endorsement in the upcoming New York City mayoral race, but she quickly noted there are other rising stars in the Democratic Party for voters to watch, too.
Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, won an upset in the June primary , defeating former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and a raft of better-established politicians, including citywide elected officials and state senators. He now holds a double-digit lead over his rivals, which include Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, both running as independents, and Republican Curtis Sliwa, in most public polling.
Yet many mainstream Democrats in Congress and elsewhere have shied away from throwing their full weight behind the 33-year-old state legislator, who with a social media flare has leaned into ambitious economic populism as he seeks to run the nation's largest city.
"Look, as far as I’m concerned, he’s the Democratic nominee, and he should be supported," Harris, who is promoting a new book , said during an exclusive MSNBC interview with host Rachel Maddow.
Candidate for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference while campaigning outside a Subway station in New York City, April 1, 2025. Mamdani (D-NY) was announced as the winner of the Democratic nomination for mayor in a crowded field in the City’s mayoral primary to choose a successor to Mayor Eric Adams, who is running for re-election on an independent ticket.
Asked if she would endorse Mamdani's candidacy, which some major Democrats have failed to do thus far, Harris said: "I support the Democrat in the race, sure. But let me just say this: He's not the only star," before listing other Democratic mayoral candidates such as Alabama state Rep. Barbara Drummond running in Mobile, and City Council Member Helena Moreno of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Harris's comments have already ignited a debate online among between centrist Democrats and more activist-aligned progressives, who for most of the year have been trying to figure out how to rebuild their brand with voters and how to effectively combat Trump's agenda.
Don't center Mamdani or NYC mayor's race, Harris says
Mamdani's shocking primary win has made him a magnetic force on the political left. His platform includes ideas such as eliminating fares on city buses and freezing rates at all rent-stabilized apartments.
But despite decisively winning his party's nomination, Democratic heavyweights such as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, both of New York, have refused to endorse his candidacy.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul did endorse Mamdani earlier this month after months of pressure, saying the Big Apple "deserves a mayor who will stand up to President Donald Trump and make life more affordable for New Yorkers."
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, another New York Democrat with a national profile, apologized to Mamdani , who is Muslim, after she falsely claiming he had made “references to global jihad," and she still has not backed his candidacy.
While Mamdani has received a thumbs up from progressive figures, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT., there is still a hesitancy to embrace him as Trump and his Republican allies appear eager to make him the face of their opposition. Mamdani has been an outspoken advocate of policing reform − including a past embrace, since discarded, of defunding the NYPD − and Palestinian rights.
Harris, who is promoting her new book on the 2024 campaign , emphasized that the party is still a "big tent" and discouraged people from focusing solely on New York City during her first live interview since leaving office.
"I hope that we don't so over-index on New York City that we lose sight of the stars throughout our country who are right now running for mayor and many other cities," she said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Unlike Schumer and Jeffries, Harris endorses Mamdani for NYC mayor
