Zohran Mamdani: Why I’m Endorsing Kathy Hochul

“The era of empty promises ends.”

That’s the vision that drove our mayoral campaign. It’s the foundation of my administration. It’s also what Governor Kathy Hochul said as we celebrated an agreement to deliver universal childcare—one of the largest expansions of the social safety net in our city’s history. 

It is as consequential a policy victory as our movement has seen in quite some time. A burden of more than $22,500 lifted, the difference between whether or not a family can stay in the city they love with the children they want to raise. It was made possible by the nearly 100,000 volunteers who talked to millions of New Yorkers at their doors. But it would not have happened, just eight days into our administration, without Governor Hochul moving to provide more than $1 billion in state funding.

We delivered this historic win together. Together, we have fought to protect New Yorkers from ICE. Together, we have defended our party, our democracy, and the ability of working New Yorkers to raise a family in the city they love. And together, we have forged a new era in the relationship between Albany and City Hall after too many years defined by pettiness instead of productivity. At a moment of crisis, we chose a different path. We respected one another’s perspectives and committed to the idea that government should, and must, work — even when it’s hard.

The Governor and I do not agree on everything. We have real differences, particularly when it comes to taxation of the wealthiest, at a moment defined by profound income inequality. I continue to believe that the wealthiest among us can afford to pay just a little bit more.

But for too long, our politics has been defined by a familiar cycle: big promises, bitter fights, and little tangible progress. This stagnation has taken a toll. People are struggling to afford childcare, housing, and public transit. They are tired of being told to wait while they are crushed by an affordability crisis that drives out the very people who built this city. And they are rightfully demanding change. 

Those of us entrusted with the sacred oath of service must heed that call and work together to honor it. That requires not the absence of disagreement, but the presence of trust. We must be able to disagree honestly while still delivering for the people we serve. Over the past 6 months, Governor Hochul and I have done exactly that.

This experience matters because the challenges ahead are real. New York City faces budget hardships, an affordability crisis that rages on, and an urgent need for government to deliver. The temptation is to allow difference to turn into distrust. But over the course of our relationship, I have come to trust Governor Hochul as someone willing to engage in an honest dialogue that leads to results. As we face threats from Washington, she has defended our social safety net and protected funding for critical infrastructure projects.

At its best, the Democratic Party has been a big tent not because it avoids conflict, but because it channels conflict toward progress. A party united not by conformity, but by a commitment to structural change — and to the work required to achieve it. I’ve seen a model of what that can look like in my collaboration with Governor Hochul: a relationship built on candor, a shared commitment to government that is equal parts competent and trustworthy, and results that working people can feel in their day-to-day lives. 

The success of our movement will be defined by the success of our government. 

New Yorkers deserve leaders who believe in transformation. Leaders who understand that hope is inspired by a vision, and sustained by change. Governor Kathy Hochul has earned my endorsement because she has chosen to govern in that spirit. And in this moment, that choice matters.