On Tuesday, September 2nd, former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio officially endorsed Democratic Socialist Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani in a New York Daily News op-ed, praising his commitment to affordability and working-class priorities.
De Blasio wrote: “We don’t just need Zohran Mamdani to be our mayor because he has the right ideas…We need him because in his heart and in his bones, he cannot accept a city that prices out the people who built it and keep it running.”
In addition to the op-ed, de Blasio reaffirmed his endorsement during a television appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, calling Mamdani “particularly perceptive, intelligent, open” and emphasizing his focus on “kitchen table issues” over divisive identity politics.
De Blasio highlighted Mamdani’s progressive platform, including rent freezes, free child care, fare-free buses, and city-run grocery stores, and lauded his inclusive approach to engaging the business community and commitment to public safety reform—redirecting mental health and homelessness responses away from police. He said, “My administration delivered a rent freeze for rent-stabilized apartments three times. It’s not a question of possibility — it’s a matter of political will.”
De Blasio framed this endorsement as a continuation—and evolution—of his own legacy, positioning Mamdani as the bold leader needed to protect and serve the city’s working families.
