Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsed Zohran Mamdani, the front runner in the New York City mayoral election, in an op-ed piece in The New York Times.

“In the past few months, I’ve had frank conversations with him. We’ve had our disagreements. But in our conversations, I heard a leader who shares my commitment to a New York where children can grow up safe in their neighborhoods and where opportunity is within reach for every family,” she explained. “I heard a leader who is focused on making New York City affordable — a goal I enthusiastically support.”

She also outlined their agreement for “strong leadership at the helm of the NYPD.”

Mamdani defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary. He has since relaunched his campaign as an independent. Adams, a Democrat, skipped the primary to run as an independent. News 12 sources say he is planning to leave the race by the end of the week.

Curtis Sliwa ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Regarding the endorsement, President Donald Trump said Monday morning on Truth Social:

"Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has Endorsed the 'Liddle’ Communist,' Zohran Mamdani, running for Mayor of New York. This is a rather shocking development, and a very bad one for New York City. How can such a thing happen? Washington will be watching this situation very closely. No reason to be sending good money after bad!"

Rep. Elise Stefanik, a likely gubernatorial candidate, responded to the governor's endorsement, calling Mamdani a "communist antisemite."

"As I always said, it was only a matter of time before the Worst Governor in America Kathy Hochul would bend the knee to the Communist Antisemite Zohran Mamdani," she said in part.