Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, seen speaking at a town hall gathering on May 2, 2025 in New York City, on Thursday made an endorsement in the upcoming New York City Democratic mayoral primary. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
Mamdani has been rising in the most recent public opinion polls and is now a clear second to frontrunner and former New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the latest surveys.
With multiple progressive candidates in the primary race, the endorsement of Mamdani by Ocasio-Cortez is seen as a move to unite fractured progressive voters towards a single candidate in an attempt to block the more moderate Cuomo from returning to power.
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The now-35-year-old Ocasio-Cortez made history in 2018 with her defeat of a longtime House Democrat and then grabbed national attention in the ensuing years as the most-visible member of a small but growing group of younger, diverse, progressive House members known as "The Squad."
Democratic mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo, far left, and Zohran Mamdani, second from right, present arguments as Whitney Tilson, second from left, and Michael Blake look on during a Democratic mayoral primary debate, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool) (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Pool)
Mamdani and many of his rivals for the nomination took aim at Cuomo during Wednesday night's combustible debate.
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Cuomo pushed back at Mamdani, characterizing him as too far to the left and inexperienced.
Cuomo, a former three-term governor who resigned from office in 2021 amid multiple scandals, is aiming for political redemption as he works to pull off a campaign comeback.
Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the campaign trail from coast to coast."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/aoc-backs-rising-progressive-candidate-nyc-dem-primary-push-defeat-frontrunner-cuomo