NEW YORK CITY, July 16, 2025 – In a significant boost to the democratic socialist movement, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has thrown his support behind New York State Assemblymember Zohran Kwame Mamdani in the race for New York City mayor. The endorsement, announced yesterday via a post on X, comes as Mamdani emerges as a formidable contender, with a new POLITICO poll showing him narrowly leading disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo by a slim margin just two weeks before the Democratic primary.
The post, accompanied by images of Sanders and Mamdani laughing together outside a government building, highlighted Sanders’ admiration for Mamdani’s grassroots campaign. “Had a great meeting with @ZohranKMamdani and am deeply impressed by the grassroots campaign he is running,” Sanders wrote. He warned of oligarchs prepared to spend “tens of millions” to undermine democracy and back Mamdani’s opponents, vowing, “We will not allow that to happen. Stand with Zohran.”
Mamdani, a Queens-based democratic socialist, has gained attention for his bold policy proposals, including raising the city’s minimum wage to $30 an hour by 2030 and establishing municipally-run, affordable grocery stores. These ideas, which have gained traction in cities like Chicago, have sparked intense debate. Economist Larry Summers recently expressed alarm, suggesting the wage hike could destabilize the local economy, while supporters argue it addresses the city’s soaring cost of living.
The endorsement aligns with Sanders’ decades-long critique of concentrated wealth and political influence, a stance he reiterated by referencing the 2014 BBC News report labeling the U.S. an oligarchy due to elite dominance in policy-making. Mamdani’s campaign website emphasizes his commitment to easing the burden on working-class New Yorkers, a pressing issue amid the city’s ongoing housing crisis.
As the primary nears, the race is heating up, with Mamdani’s rise challenging the political establishment. Whether this Sanders-backed surge will carry him to victory remains to be seen, but it underscores a growing appetite for progressive policies in the nation’s largest city.