Mamdani Joins Hochul for Brooklyn Campaign Events

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will campaign with Gov. Kathy Hochul in Brooklyn on Friday, Oct. 23, and Sunday, Oct. 25, making his first in-person appearances for her reelection bid. The events join two Democrats from different wings of their party as Hochul faces Republican Bruce Blakeman.

On Friday, Mamdani is expected to hand out campaign literature alongside Hochul. They’re expected back Sunday to launch a canvassing event, according to a person familiar with their plans who was granted anonymity because the schedule wasn’t public.

A New York City vote strategy

Hochul’s alliance with Mamdani reflects New York City’s weight in the statewide race. Democratic strategist Trip Yang, who works on a pro-Hochul super PAC, said the mayor’s popularity could help the governor in the city, which he called the state’s “most vote-rich region.”

“A Democrat can win statewide simply by running up the score in New York City — it basically guarantees a Democratic win,” Yang said. “Tapping into Mamdani is just very smart.”

A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday put Hochul ahead of Blakeman, 55% to 41%. Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, is expected to perform well in the suburbs, where Hochul’s association with Mamdani could alienate some voters.

Mamdani’s mayoral victory last year united a base made up largely of younger voters drawn to his platform on New York City’s high cost of living. Whether many of those supporters will turn out for Hochul remains unclear. The governor and mayor disagree on Israel, policing and taxes.

Policy differences and shared priorities

Hochul opposes income-tax increases for wealthy people and large corporations, while Mamdani has pushed to raise taxes on wealthy people and businesses. Some Democrats, including New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, say tax increases will be needed to expand child care further.

The tax dispute hasn’t publicly damaged relations between City Hall and Albany. Hochul approved additional aid early in the year for the pair’s shared goal of expanding no-cost child care. She later sent state money to help close a New York City budget gap and accepted a tax on owners of expensive second homes in the five boroughs, fulfilling a Mamdani campaign pledge to tax the rich.

Political analyst Michael Lange said Mamdani has treated Hochul as a collaborator, not an opponent. “Child care has proven to be such a core issue for both of them,” Lange said.

Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Hochul in February, helping her left flank and ending the campaign of her only primary challenger, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado. If Hochul wins a second full term, pressure from the left to raise taxes on wealthy people and large businesses is expected to grow, including pressure from Mamdani.

Campaign activity and voter concerns

During June’s primary elections, Mamdani campaigned for candidates in three competitive New York City congressional races and helped raise money for them. All his candidates won, defeating two more moderate incumbents and strengthening his standing as a progressive powerbroker. He’s otherwise kept a low profile in the general-election campaign, attending a Manhattan fundraiser this month for Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, the only high-profile candidate outside New York he has campaigned for this year.

Hochul’s team released an advertisement last week in which Mamdani criticizes Blakeman. A person close to Mamdani said the team saw the gubernatorial race as less competitive than the summer’s congressional primaries, so it didn’t require as much of his involvement. The mayor’s team wants him viewed as focused on New York City and ruled out campaigning for Hochul elsewhere in the state. Another person close to Mamdani said the timing followed standard practice, since early voting starts this weekend.

Hochul supports Israel and backed a law meant to restrict protests near houses of worship, a measure sought by New York City’s Jewish community after pro-Palestinian demonstrations. David Greenfield, a former New York City councilmember and head of the Jewish charity Met Council, expected Jewish Democrats to split their tickets. “Jewish voters are pretty smart,” he said. “We’re capable of holding two ideas at once.”