Former NYC Mayor de Blasio Endorses Zohran Mamdani for City Hall

Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has endorsed Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in the 2025 New York City mayoral race, praising Mamdani's progressive platform that includes rent freezes, free child care, free city buses, and city-run grocery stores. De Blasio highlighted Mamdani's ability to connect with everyday New Yorkers by focusing on practical 'kitchen table issues' rather than identity politics and emphasized Mamdani's openness and intelligence. Drawing from his own tenure from 2014 to 2021, de Blasio assured skeptics that ambitious policies like those Mamdani proposes can be successfully implemented, citing his own achievements such as the $15 minimum wage, expanded pre-K, and affordable housing initiatives. He noted Mamdani’s approach to engaging with the business community as a strength, despite their fundamental disagreements. Critics like Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa have warned that Mamdani represents a continuation of de Blasio's policies, which they view as harmful, but de Blasio defended Mamdani’s vision as necessary to prevent the city from becoming unaffordable to the people who sustain it. Overall, de Blasio framed Mamdani as the candidate with both the heart and practical experience to address New York City’s affordability crisis.