LOWER MANHATTAN, New York (WABC) — In the race for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani has racked up endorsements from several figures within the Democratic party, but support from the most powerful within the party has eluded him.
The city’s sanitation workers are throwing their support behind Mayor Eric Adams. They are the latest of the city’s uniformed services to endorse the incumbent mayor, but no one has racked up more endorsements than Mamdani, 33, the Democratic socialist who won the Democratic primary.
Several prominent, mostly progressive, Democrats have enthusiastically endorsed Mamdani. Adriano Espaillat explained last month that loyal Democrats should support their nominee.
“The Democrats have spoken,” the congressman said back in July.
Then there’s organized labor. Most of the city’s major labor unions have already endorsed Mamdani. A total of 67 unions and political organizations, along with nine state senators, 17 assembly members and 16 council members, or roughly one-third of the City Council, have thrown their support behind him.
But despite all of that, New York’s most powerful Democrats are on the fence, and there are still no endorsements from U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Jeffries has praised Mamdani’s focus on affordability but has some concerns.
“We’ve got to figure out, moving forward, how we turn proposals into actual plans so that he is successful-if he becomes the next mayor,” Jeffries said.
One insider told Eyewitness News that Mamdani is likely to get those endorsements, but he needs to broaden his base with Jewish leaders.
Mayor Adams has his own theory, and so does Andrew Cuomo.
“Maybe because he’s a socialist,” Cuomo said. “He is a socialist on the Democratic line. I’m a Democrat on an independent line.”
“Those communities don’t believe prostitution should be on their streets like he does,” Adams said. “They don’t believe in defunding the police like he does.”
Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa also weighed in.
“The DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) has a policy: no arrests for misdemeanor crimes, none,” Sliwa said. “And now he’s trying to hide from the media, so he doesn’t have to answer it.”
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