AOC Supports Progressive Challenger in NYC Democratic Primary to Oust Cuomo

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has entered the fray in New York City’s Democratic mayoral race with a highly anticipated endorsement, just weeks before the June 24 primary. The progressive lawmaker, who has become one of New York City’s most influential leaders on the left, announced her support for State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, a move expected to have significant ripple effects among the city’s energized but divided progressive base.

In her statement, Ocasio-Cortez praised Mamdani’s ability to build coalitions among working-class New Yorkers, emphasizing the need for unity as the crowded primary enters its final stages. "Assemblymember Mamdani has demonstrated a real ability on the ground to put together a coalition of working-class New Yorkers that is strongest to lead the pack," she said. “In the final stretch of the race, we need to get very real about that.”

Mamdani’s campaign has been gathering momentum in recent weeks, securing him a solid second place in the latest public opinion polls behind frontrunner and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. With numerous progressive candidates vying for votes, Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement is being interpreted as a concerted effort to consolidate progressive voters under Mamdani’s banner, potentially presenting him as the most viable alternative to the more moderate Cuomo.

This latest development comes at a critical juncture for progressives, who four years ago failed to unite, paving the way for current Mayor Eric Adams—then considered a moderate Democrat—to clinch the primary and ultimately the mayoralty. Adams, facing declining approval ratings, recently announced that he would seek re-election as an independent rather than pursue the Democratic nomination, further scrambling the political landscape ahead of the June vote.

Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist of Ugandan descent, has campaigned on an ambitious platform: free city bus rides, rent freezes on rent-stabilized apartments, and city-run grocery stores funded by a proposed $10 billion tax increase on corporations and the ultra-wealthy. In response to the endorsement, Mamdani lauded Ocasio-Cortez as a “once-in-a-generation leader” and expressed confidence that their combined efforts could echo her 2018 congressional victory, which upended expectations and catalyzed a wave of progressive activism.

The Democratic field remains competitive, with the primary debate held Wednesday night highlighting sharp divides within the party. Mamdani and his supporters targeted Cuomo, criticizing him for centrist positions and past controversies. Cuomo, seeking a political comeback following his 2021 resignation amid scandals, pushed back, describing Mamdani as too ideologically extreme and lacking sufficient government experience.

The coming weeks will prove pivotal for the direction of New York City’s leadership. Early voting for the Democratic primary begins June 14, and the Ocasio-Cortez endorsement is likely to energize the left as they seek to prevent another moderate upset. As the city awaits its next mayor, the stakes for progressives and establishment Democrats alike have rarely been higher.