Mike Gianaris backs Zohran Mamdani for mayor

State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris is backing Zohran Mamdani for mayor, further consolidating the Assembly member’s support from key local and state party leaders.  

A fellow representative of western Queens, Gianaris’ decision to officially back Mamdani in the upcoming November general election isn’t particularly surprising. The two men worked together on a package of legislation known as “Fix the MTA Act,” which made sweeping investments in subway services and created a one-year pilot program removing the fare from several bus lines. Gianaris often spoke highly of Mamdani to the press while the democratic socialist lawmaker mounted his primary campaign, but refrained from making a formal endorsement. Now he’s going all in behind the Democratic nominee.

“My friends and neighbors in Western Queens – and across the five boroughs – are getting crushed by the cost of living in New York City that corrupt politicians like Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams have helped create,” Gianaris said in a statement shared with City & State ahead of his official video announcement. “Zohran Mamdani is the only candidate actually listening to New Yorkers' needs, and providing the energy and ideas necessary to solve them.”

Since his historic victory in the primary, Mamdani has steadily built support with a number of institutional power-brokers, including party bosses, prominent electeds and labor unions. Key national leaders like House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have yet to endorse him, however. 

Even beyond the November election, it's important for Mamdani to secure the support and trust of legislative leaders like Gianaris, who has served as deputy majority leader in the Senate since 2019. Many of the ambitious populist promises that garnered Mamdani a wide coalition of New Yorkers on the campaign trail would hinge on state approval – the biggest being raising taxes for the city’s wealthiest residents. He has said that these proceeds would fund free buses, city-owned grocery stores, universal child care and more. 

“I was proud to partner with Senator Gianaris to secure historic investments in subway and bus services – and now I'm grateful for support as we turn the page on the politics of the past, and build a better future for New York City,” Mamdani said in a statement.