Espaillat Endorses Mamdani for Mayor, After Backing Cuomo and Adams

[Celerity]

Representative Adriano Espaillat, the most powerful Latino leader in New York City, will back Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for mayor.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/10/nyregion/espaillat-endorse-mamdani.html

https://archive.ph/qmmMj



Zohran Mamdani, the front-runner in the New York City mayor’s race, will be endorsed on Thursday by Representative Adriano Espaillat, the city’s most powerful Latino leader and one of the most influential among voters. His support follows endorsements for Mr. Mamdani from other prominent New York Democrats, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and major unions as he seeks to broaden his coalition ahead of the general election in November.

Mr. Espaillat said in a statement that Mr. Mamdani brought “clarity, discipline and a deep commitment to tackling the stubborn issues facing New York City,” including affordability. “He has a strong vision of how to make New York serve those working to realize the American dream,” he said. “I’m proud to endorse him because New Yorkers deserve a mayor who will wake up every day and fight for them.”

Landing the backing of Mr. Espaillat, who is the first Dominican American member of Congress and who represents northern Manhattan and the Bronx, is significant for symbolic and practical reasons. He is the latest member of the New York congressional delegation to back Mr. Mamdani, joining Representatives Nydia Velázquez and Jerrold Nadler and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez. Others, most notably Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, and Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, have not endorsed anyone in the race.

Mr. Espaillat also enjoys a deserved reputation as someone who can command voters to the polls in his district. Representative Ritchie Torres, a Democrat who represents a neighboring district, called him a “turnout machine.” The endorsement is also a sign that former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s supporters are continuing to abandon him. Mr. Espaillat had endorsed Mr. Cuomo ahead of the Democratic primary in June. Mr. Cuomo also lost Keith L.T. Wright, the Manhattan Democratic chairman, and Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, an assemblywoman who leads the Brooklyn Democrats.

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