Public Advocate Jumaane Williams Endorses Zohran Mamdani at #3 for Mayor

Late Wednesday night, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams announced his endorsement for Zohran Mamdani in the upcoming mayoral race, releasing a video statement to share his support. This is Williams' third mayoral endorsement, placing Mamdani at #3 on his ranked ballot.

Williams previously ranked Comptroller Brad Lander at #1, and Speaker Adrienne Adams at #2.

In the announcement, Williams praised Mamdani's focus on pressing issues: "Zohran Mamdani is a clear-eyed leader who is fighting for policies that truly meet the urgency of today’s affordability crisis. His drive, his ability to connect with everyday New Yorkers, and his relentless focus on bringing down the cost of living is why I’m proud to support his grassroots, people-powered campaign."

Mamdani is contending for the Democratic nomination, where his main opponent is Andrew Cuomo.

Williams has a history of political opposition with Cuomo. His past campaigns include a 2018 run for Lieutenant Governor of New York, challenging the incumbent Kathy Hochul in the Democratic primary. Although Cuomo was not Williams’ direct opponent in that race, Williams' campaign was largely interpreted as a challenge from the left to the broader Cuomo administration and its policies, with Williams positioning himself as a critic of the established political order.

The endorsement also highlights a shared political background between Williams and Mamdani. Both are elected officials affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and align on progressive policy viewpoints across a number of issues.

Reacting to the endorsement, Mamdani stated: "A fairer, safer, more affordable New York has been Jumaane's fight for years, and as we enter the final month of this race, I am honored to have him by my side."

The support from a high-profile progressive figure like Williams could offer a notable boost to Mamdani's campaign as the primary approaches. New Yorkers will head to the polls on June 24th, with early voting taking place from June 14th through June 22nd.

UPDATE: This article has been changed to indicate that Williams previously endorsed Brad Lander and Adrienne Adams has his number 1 and 2 picks respectively.