Queens pols stay mum on Mamdani after Hochul endorsement

Governor Kathy Hochul endorsed Queens Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani for mayor on Sunday. Photos by Darren McGee from Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

By Ryan Schwach

Queens’ Democratic establishment has yet to endorse Democratic mayoral nominee and Queens Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani after Governor Kathy Hochul threw her weight behind the local candidate over the weekend.

Hochul’s endorsement in a New York Times op-ed published on Sunday was long-awaited by Mamdani, who has yet to see universal support from Democratic Party leadership in New York.

While many more mainstream Democratic leaders initially bristled at the idea of backing the Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidate, some have come to champion Mamdani’s campaign as the general election approaches.

Still, major Democratic figures are still on the sidelines, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer,House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and much of Queens’ party establishment.

Queens’ party chair and Congressmember Greg Meeks has yet to endorse in the race, and neither has prominent Queens Congressmember Grace Meng.

The Queens Democratic Party itself has also stayed out of endorsing after it and Meeks endorsed Queens-born former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the primary.

Meeks has said he is still mulling over his endorsement, and Meng has not commented. Neither representative responded to a request for comment on Hochul’s endorsement on Monday.

Brian Browne, a Queens political commentator, said he thinks Hochul’s endorsement could be the first domino to fall in Mamdani’s direction in his home borough.

“I think it could be a door opening,” Browne told the Eagle. “I assume those conversations are still being had between Meeks and Meng.”

The silence from Meeks, Meng and the Queens Democratic Party comes as many of their contemporaries have chosen to endorse Mamdani.

Mamdani is so far endorsed by Western Queens’ two congressional representatives, Nydia Velázquez and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards endorsed Mamdani last month.

The Democratic Parties of the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island have backed Mamdani. Brooklyn’s party has not, but its chair, Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, has.

The endorsement from Hochul comes a little more than a month before the start of early voting in the race between Mamdani, Cuomo, Mayor Eric Adams and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.

Browne said that while Hochul’s endorsement is significant, he thought it read as a bit “half-hearted,” and motivated by political maneuvering and an upcoming challenge to her reelection.

“She's kind of threading a needle,” he said.” She's got her lieutenant governor [Antonio Delgado], giving her a primary on her left, she has [Congressmember Elise Stefanik] looming in the distance on the right. She's got to kind of do it from her political instincts.”

Meeks and Meng don’t necessarily have to make the same political calculation. Neither have any significant challengers for the seats as of now, and Meeks’ district went firmly to Cuomo in the primary by more than 20 percent. Mamdani won Meng’s district by about 1,500 votes.

Browne speculated that the congressional duo could be waiting to see the future of Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign for reelection. Last week, the mayor’s campaign said he’d consider dropping out of the race if an internal poll found his campaign wasn’t viable.

Queens’ other representative in Washington, Democrat Tom Suozzi, has publicly criticized Mamdani in recent weeks and made it clear following Hochul’s endorsement that he would not be following suit.

Governor Kathy Hochul endorsed Queens Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani for mayor on Sunday. Eagle file photo by Ryan Schwach

“I will not be endorsing Mamdani,” he said. “While I share his concern about the issue of affordability, I fundamentally disagree with his proposed solutions. Like the voters I represent, I believe socialism has consistently failed to deliver real, sustainable progress.”

Suozzi lost the Democratic primary for governor to Hochul in 2022.

Hochul announced her endorsement in a surprise Times op-ed, expressing that while she and the Queens assemblymember have significant differences and disagreements, she would be willing to work with him should he ascend to the mayoralty.

“Mr. Mamdani and I don’t see eye to eye on everything, and I don’t expect us to,” she wrote. “I will always reserve the right to disagree honestly and to argue passionately. But I also believe that New York State and New York City are at our best when we stand together against those who attempt to tear us apart.”

Mamdani celebrated the major endorsement on Monday on social media.

“I’m grateful for the governor's support in unifying our party, her resolve in standing up to Trump, and her focus on making New York affordable,” he said. “I look forward to the great work we will accomplish together.”

“Our movement is only growing stronger,” he added.