Zohran Mamdani looks to gain support from local members of Congress in DC
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Democratic nominee for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning to meet with local representatives.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hosted a breakfast meeting for her fellow members of Congress to spend time with Mamdani as he hopes to get their support.
Ocasio-Cortez suggested the lawmakers get to know Mamdani to make their own assessment.
Lawmakers from the Tri-State area included reps. Jerry Nadler, who has already endorsed him, and Josh Gottheimer.
Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, who has also already endorsed Mamdani, said he spoke honestly about important issues.
"It is beautiful to have someone who is so authentic, you know, money cannot buy that, and we had a great conversation," Velazquez said.
However senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries haven't announced who they're endorsing in the race for mayor.
And many New York City business leaders are skeptical about what Mamdani's socialist approach would mean for them.
That's something opponent Andrew Cuomo is seizing on.
"I believe he is dangerous for this city, I believe being anti-business, anti-corporation, the city has no future if it's not growing," Cuomo said.
The former governor will need to connect with young voters, which he acknowledges he failed to do in the primary which he lost to Mamdani.
Cuomo is running as an independent -- as is Mayor Eric Adams. It's a crowded field, but Adams resents any suggestion that he should bow out of the race.
"The last mayor we had of color was 30 years ago, how would I look to be stepping down," Adams said on a podcast with Stephen A. Smith.
But both Adams and Cuomo may do better with Jewish voters than Mamdani, who has failed to condemn the phrase "Globalize the intifada."
And Gov. Kathy Hochul weighed in on the race Wednesday morning. Speaking on MSNBC, the Democrat said she can work with whoever wins, but is aligned with Mamdani on affordability.
Hochul said she has spoken directly with Mamdani about her concerns -- specifically working to reassure the city's Jewish community that if elected, he would be a mayor for everyone.
"I said you have a lot of healing to do with the Jewish community, many of your words have been hurtful and hateful to people and their interpretation of it, so job number one is to straighten that relationship out if you can," Hochul said.
Hochul also hasn't endorsed a candidate.
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