Hochul Signals She Might not Endorse Mamdani in Mayoral Race

Governor Kathy Hochul appeared to distance herself from antisemitic communist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani during a live interview Sunday, suggesting she may not support him in the upcoming election — despite his recent praise for her “courage.”

“We still have many differences,” Hochul said in a Fox News Sunday appearance, pointedly avoiding any endorsement. “I don’t know how you whitewash that away.”

Fox host Shannon Bream had read Mamdani’s remarks commending Hochul for standing up to President Trump and Republicans in a battle over congressional redistricting. Mamdani said she was “meeting the moment” and acting with “courage.”

Asked by Bream if the admiration was mutual and whether Mamdani would be a good choice for mayor, Hochul again referenced their “many differences.”

“He can agree with me and many people agree with me and I think it’s not just Democrats who say, ‘New Yorkers stand up for our rights.’ We do that,” Hochul responded. “We’re fighters. I’m a mom from Buffalo. I guess they’re not used to taking on a mom from Buffalo.”

Hochul, who faces re-election next year, has opposed Mamdani’s plan to raise $9 billion in new taxes on millionaires and corporations to fund programs such as subsidized child care, fare-free buses, housing expansion, and state-run grocery stores.

Such tax increases would require approval from the governor and state legislators, who are also up for re-election in 2026.

Despite her reluctance to endorse him, Hochul acknowledged she shares Mamdani’s concern over New York’s affordability crisis.

“There’s many areas of disagreement,” she said. “But also there’s areas of alignment including affordability. His election touched a nerve. And people said, ‘you know what, we’re just not getting ahead.’”

Hochul criticized President Trump’s tariffs and other policies, saying they haven’t improved the situation. “There’s a sense that we need some change now,” she added.

She also hinted she might remain neutral in the race, which includes two other contenders — Mayor Eric Adams and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, both running on independent party lines. Hochul served as Cuomo’s lieutenant governor before taking over when he resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations, which he denies.

“I already worked with two different mayors. I’ll continue to work with whomever the voters want me to and I’ll make it work out. I’m not going to go to war with the 8 million residents of New York I also represent,” Hochul said.

“My job is to calm things down,” she continued. “Let’s see what the election results are. But people have to recognize that the candidate for mayor [Mamdani] has also touched a nerve and we need to respond to that. I’m aligned with him that we need to find ways to make life more affordable for New Yorkers.”

This would not be the first time Hochul has opted out of a heated mayoral race. In 2021, when democratic socialist India Walton defeated moderate incumbent Byron Brown in Buffalo’s Democratic primary, Brown ran a write-in campaign. Hochul stayed out of the contest, and Brown ultimately won in a landslide.