Zohran Mamdani and AOC’s Split Endorsements Are Raising Eyebrows

Two of the biggest progressive stars in the country are taking a split path on endorsements in messy Democratic primaries, leaving some Democrats reading the tea leaves for what it means for their political futures.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is backing a trio of insurgent candidates in House races, including two who are challenging Democratic incumbents, while staying out of contentious state legislative primaries. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is supporting several Democratic Socialists of America candidates in competitive New York state legislative races, while so far staying out of contentious congressional primaries.

The seemingly complementary slates, when combined, cover most of DSA’s endorsed candidates, leading some consultants to speculate that the pair “divided and conquered,” as one put it. They’re also a sign of the pair’s diverging political realities, more than a half-dozen New York Democratic strategists said.

Mamdani, who must work with Albany powerbrokers for his city’s budget, is avoiding run-ins with state leaders, while Ocasio-Cortez, who is seen as a potential presidential candidate, isn’t alienating relationships with her congressional colleagues, they said.

Mamdani has “got to build his allies, and for him, clearly the path that he’s taken is working locally, within New York City, to do that,” said David Hogg, co-founder of progressive group Leaders We Deserve, an early backer of Mamdani. “Whereas, for AOC, it’s been much more of a national focus.”

In a brief interview with NOTUS, Ocasio-Cortez, who has endorsed in a handful of other House races, said she and Mamdani are “in two different positions,” and “as a member of the New York delegation,” it was “important to let those processes … bear out.” She also acknowledged her “much deeper focus” in building a progressive bench downballot. Spokespeople for both Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez declined to comment on the suggestion of the pair coordinating their endorsements.

New York’s June 23 primaries feature a slew of races for solidly blue seats, riven by all the forces dividing the Democratic Party: generational change, ideological battles, U.S.-Israel politics and record-breaking spending from outside groups representing AI, crypto and former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. It’s the latest round of expensive, contentious primaries that have defined much of the party’s primary season as Democrats look to retake the House in November.

And for Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani, the primaries have provided a moment to flex and test their political muscles.

“They are very strategic political actors, but they are also political actors who are tied to an outside movement,” said Grace Mausser, the co-chair of New York City’s DSA chapter. “They know they can’t build power just by themselves.”

Mamdani is backing three left-wing challengers in some of his biggest political swings yet. He endorsed former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, a progressive ally even as they competed for mayor, against Rep. Dan Goldman (D-New York), whose more moderate position on Israel had made him a target of progressives.

He’s also backing Assembly member Claire Valdez in the open race to replace retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-New York), who has endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. Mamdani’s support could prove key here in a district where Reynoso’s name recognition and record would usually give him the upper hand against someone like Valdez, who was first elected in 2024.

“From polling that I’ve seen, Zohran’s endorsement of a candidate moves a race in New York City, typically, about 30 %,” said Hogg, whose group has also endorsed Valdez. “If he was any other political figure, [these endorsements] are risky, but he is so uniquely positioned.”

That hasn’t always played out early in Mamdani’s time as a political kingmaker. The mayor had an early loss when he jumped into a City Council special election in April, endorsing a candidate who ultimately went on to lose by a wide margin.

Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-New York), chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, may be hoping for a repeat of that failure. Espaillat is fending off a challenge from activist Darializa Avila Chevalier, who picked up Mamdani’s final congressional endorsement. It might be Mamdani’s most dangerous intervention, several Democrats said, as Espaillat is the informal dean of New York politics, mentoring a generation of Dominican and Latino leaders.

“There’s minimal governing risk but a lot of political risk” by backing Avila Chevalier, said Trip Yang, a Democratic consultant working on several New York races, including for Goldman. “He may very well need some of [Espaillat’s] mentees’ help.”

“The Mamdani movement has never been tested, except when he himself was on the ballot,” said a Democratic operative. Adam Gray/AP Photo/Adam Gray

Mamdani has taken heat for his role in the race: The New York Times reported last month that the mayor had originally pledged to support Espaillat. A spokesman for Mamdani declined to comment.

Mamdani’s intervention has infuriated the Congressional Hispanic Caucus as well as House Democratic leadership, with two senior House Democrats sharing that his endorsement could cost Espaillat that seat.

“The Mamdani movement has never been tested, except when he himself was on the ballot, so I see him as the Donald Trump of the left,” said a New York Democratic operative, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “He’s only focused on his base and his strategy around appealing to his base, and these endorsements do that.”

Nonetheless, Mamdani is trying to rub some of his viral magic off on his endorsed candidates. The mayor appeared in a basketball-themed TV ad, bathed in New York Knicks orange, last week, as they fought for their first championship in decades.

“This is my team,” Mamdani said in the ad, flanked by Lander, Avila Chevalier and Valdez. “This is our year.”

Ocasio-Cortez was not part of the ad. She effectively stopped endorsing against incumbents after the 2022 cycle, committing to not do so when she was running to be the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, losing to the late Rep. Gerry Connolly. But she did reopen that door earlier this spring.

It’s not surprising, then, that Ocasio-Cortez has opted against endorsing in these races because “governing is difficult, and in order to govern, you need to rely on other people in government to help you be successful, and it requires having relationships with peers and colleagues in elected office,” said Jasmine Gripper, co-director of the New York Working Families Party.

“AOC’s maturity, and being a more senior member, [she] understands that in order to continue to advance in her career, she has to have friends and partners in government in order to continue to get things done,” Gripper continued.

So far, she’s weighed in judiciously on House primaries, often waiting until the final weeks to give her preferred candidate a boost. This “closer” approach has worked in several races, including in California, Pennsylvania, Montana and New Jersey. She’s not gotten involved in some high-profile primaries involving progressive candidates, including the Maine Senate race.

Ultimately, observers see their endorsements and navigation as a bigger sign of what’s to come for the two democratic socialists.

“Mamdani seems to be swinging harder into these primaries than Ocasio-Cortez, while she’s been taking her shots more carefully,” said a Democratic consultant, granted anonymity to discuss the issue candidly. “Ocasio-Cortez is trying to build a national operation while Zohran is consolidating power in New York.”