New York Governor Kathy Hochul signaled reluctance Friday on MSNBC’s All In to fully endorse Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, despite his primary victory. Hochul acknowledged shared concerns over affordability but cited serious policy disagreements with the far-left candidate.
MSNBC host Chris Hayes pressed Hochul on whether she would join other Democrat officials in endorsing Mamdani, who won the New York City Democratic mayoral primary in a surprising but decisive outcome. Hochul remained noncommittal. “We’ll have more conversations,” she said, noting an early post-election meeting with the Assemblyman.
Hochul described Mamdani as someone who has “taken a lot of positions that I don’t agree with,” though she pointed to some shared policy objectives such as increasing housing supply to lower costs. “He supports my efforts to build more housing,” Hochul said, tying affordability to her own political background and experiences.
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, has advocated for positions far to the left of Hochul on public safety, law enforcement, and housing policy. His platform has drawn support from progressive circles, but caused concern among moderate Democrats and independents in a city facing rising crime and strained infrastructure.
Hochul, who governs a state with a growing voter dissatisfaction rate over urban crime and housing instability, has tried to balance progressive demands with public order and economic responsibility. Her cautious tone Friday underscored the challenge Democrats face in unifying around candidates whose ideological views may alienate key constituencies in a general election.
While Mamdani’s win demonstrates a shift within the city’s Democratic base, Hochul’s wait-and-see stance reflects broader concern over how far left the party should go in a high-stakes mayoral race.
