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On the eve of New York’s mayoral race, one Democrat has broken ranks with the leadership in his chamber to express reservations about Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani.
Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., on Wednesday said he would endorse independent candidate and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — breaking with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
Cuomo ran as an independent after failing to capture the Democratic nomination earlier this year.
“I’m a Democratic Capitalist, not a Democratic Socialist. I endorse Andrew Cuomo,” Suozzi said in a post to X. “I cannot back a declared socialist with a thin resume to run the most complex city in America.”
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“We need leaders who will fight crime, not undermine the police. Who will create jobs, not harm the economy. Who will keep taxes down, not make it more expensive for middle-class families to live here.”
As a moderate from New York with a track record of reaching across the aisle, Suozzi is no stranger to bucking the party. So far, in the 119th Congress, he has cast a vote that goes against the Democratic consensus 12% of the time.
Suozzi’s endorsement comes as many high-ranking figures in the Democratic Party have waited until the last minute to make it clear where they stand on Mamdani’s candidacy. Notably, while he’s attracted the support of Jeffries, he has yet to receive any word of support from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
In response to Suozzi’s endorsement, Cuomo praised the Democrat legislator.
“I’m grateful to have Congressman Tom Suozzi’s support as we head into early voting. I’ve known Tom for many years — he’s smart, results-driven, and a true public servant who delivers for the people he represents. His kind of common-sense leadership is exactly what New York needs, and I look forward to partnering with him to make our city safer, stronger and more livable,” Cuomo wrote.
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After months of dodging the question, Jeffries finally endorsed Mamdani last week but would not answer whether Schumer should do the same.
“I issued a statement with respect to the mayor’s race last Friday. That statement speaks for itself,” Jeffries said at a press conference on Tuesday.
In his endorsement, Jeffries said he supported the general goals of what Mamdani laid out in his platform.
“I deeply respect the will of the primary voters and the young people who have been inspired to participate in the electoral process,” Jeffries said in his endorsement. “Zohran Mamdani has relentlessly focused on addressing the affordability crisis.”
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Mamdani, a 34-year-old self-declared democratic socialist, shocked onlookers when he captured the Democratic nomination for mayor over 10 other candidates in June. Among other contentious policy positions, Mamdani has advocated for raising taxes to expand government social programs, reevaluating the U.S. relationship with Israel, and freezing rents in New York City.
Since he won the nomination, Democrats in Congress have repeatedly dodged questions about whether they would support Mamdani.
Besides Jeffries, only a handful of other Democrats in party leadership roles have endorsed Mamdani. Gov. Kathy Hochul and state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie have also put their weight behind his candidacy.
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With under a week until Election Day on Nov. 4, Mamdani holds a convincing lead over Cuomo. Mamdani stands at 43% support among likely voters, according to findings recently released by Quinnipiac University. The poll said he is leading Cuomo, who stands at 33%, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa at 14%.
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