Former New York mayor Bill de Blasio endorses Zohran Mamdani for mayoral race

Former New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has endorsed Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani in the city’s upcoming mayoral election, calling his platform “bold and comprehensive.”

In an opinion column published in the New York Daily News on 2 September, de Blasio argued that Mamdani’s agenda could help “save New York.”

“We need Mamdani not only because of his sound ideas, but because he would never accept a city where the very people who built and sustain it are pushed out by rising costs,” de Blasio wrote.

The endorsement has drawn mixed reactions. Critics have dismissed its significance, noting de Blasio’s low approval rating of just 26% in 2021 and his strained relationship with the NYPD during his tenure.

Supporters, however, say backing from a two-term former mayor could energise Mamdani’s campaign. Civil rights leader Al Sharpton suggested de Blasio could prove instrumental in countering rival Andrew Cuomo, the former New York governor.

Mamdani, a state assembly member known for his progressive stance, will face incumbent independent mayor Eric Adams, former governor Andrew Cuomo, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and attorney Jim Walden in the November election.