AOC endorses Mamdani in NYC mayor's race

AOC said Mamdani is her number one choice in the Democratic primary on June 24, under the city’s ranked choice voting system
AOC said Mamdani is her number one choice in the Democratic primary on June 24, under the city’s ranked choice voting system. Photo credit AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura/Pool and Anthony Behar/Sipa USA (inset)

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- With the primary just weeks away, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has endorsed Zohran Mamdani, a state assemblymember and fellow democratic socialist, in the race for NYC mayor.

In a press release Thursday that came just hours after the first mayoral debate, AOC said Mamdani is her number one choice in the Democratic primary on June 24, under the city’s ranked choice voting system.

“Mamdani has demonstrated a real ability on the ground to put together a coalition of working-class New Yorkers that is strongest to lead the pack. In the final stretch of the race, we need to get very real about that,” the congresswoman wrote.

Mamdani thanked AOC, calling her "a once-in-a-generation leader who has led the fight for working people in Congress."

The congresswoman ranked City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as her second choice; Comptroller Brad Lander as her third choice; former Comptroller Scott Stringer as her fourth choice; and state Sen. Zellnor Myrie as her fifth choice.

“Do not rank Andrew Cuomo on your ballot at all,” she added.

New York City uses ranked-choice voting in local primary and special elections, allowing voters to rank up to five candidates in order of preference. If no candidate wins a majority of first-choice votes, the lowest-ranked candidates are eliminated and their votes redistributed until one candidate has a majority.

Video credit: AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, Anthony Behar/Sipa USA, Ron Adar/SOPA Images, Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty

Featured Image Photo Credit: AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura/Pool and Anthony Behar/Sipa USA (inset)