Editor’s note: AOC’s ranked endorsements boost hopes for NYC Democratic mayoral candidates

I walked to City & State’s newsroom in lower Manhattan on June 5 and ran into not one, not two, but three Democratic mayoral candidates holding press conferences. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, his predecessor Scott Stringer and investor Whitney Tilson all made announcements following the Campaign Finance Board’s mayoral debate the night before and were abuzz about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s first-place endorsement of Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, but also her support for them. A third-place ranking was just fine for Lander after AOC’s No. 2 pick was City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “I was grateful to have AOC’s support when I ran for comptroller. I’m grateful to have her support now running for mayor,” he said at his press conference, which also highlighted his visit to federal immigration court nearby, where he observed migrants at their asylum hearings.

Within minutes, I ran into Tilson literally dragging his podium into City Hall Park where he unexpectedly ran into Stringer already having his press conference. On Mamdani landing AOC’s first-place endorsement, Stringer told City & State, “That’s a good endorsement. You certainly wouldn’t want to run for mayor without her ranking.” Stringer noted he too was ranked by Ocasio-Cortez, touting he landed fourth place. “I’m very thankful for her ranking today. It means a lot. It’s going to help me tremendously,” he said. Tilson wasn’t ranked, nor was he surprised that Ocasio-Cortez placed Mamdani first. “Two radical socialists? Of course one is going to support the other,” he said before giving his press conference. Fifth place went to state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, who had already tweeted, “Thrilled to have the support and endorsement of @AOC.”