Zohran Mamdani heads back to the Capitol

In past years, then-Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani would have been a glorified extra in the movie that was Kathy Hochul’s State of the State address. Now, mayor of New York City, he’s fully a main character – one who’ll be watched closely Tuesday for how he interacts with the lead.

It’ll be Mamdani’s first time in Albany since May, but don’t expect a lingering trip down memory lane. He plans to head up Tuesday morning for the day, departing in the afternoon. Swift and efficient. He’ll be accompanied by Chief of Staff Elle Bisgaard-Church, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Jahmila Edwards, budget director Sherif Soliman, senior adviser Simonia Brown and spokesperson Dora Pekec. Mamdani will speak with reporters at 2:30 p.m. 

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin will also attend the address.

Mamdani didn’t share many details about his goals going into the governor’s annual agenda-setting address beyond saying he plans to speak with lawmakers and Hochul “about the entirety of (his) affordability agenda” and the city’s fiscal health. Of course anyone who's been following the new mayor can guess what he’ll be listening for: universal child care, free buses, raising taxes – anything tied to his ambitious agenda that’ll need the support of state leaders to come to fruition. 

For all their differences, Hochul and Mamdani have developed an alliance over the past few months. The moderate governor and 34-year-old democratic socialist need each other, albeit for very different reasons. Hochul, facing a tough reelection battle this year, could benefit greatly from the support of some of Mamdani’s progressive base. Mamdani meanwhile will lean heavily on Hochul’s support in Albany as he seeks funding for his lofty proposals. So far, the relationship is off to a strong start. Look no further than their joint child care expansion announcement last week. 

Mamdani told reporters that he plans to tout that in Albany Tuesday. Roughly a week into his tenure, it was a significant win. The plan to add programming for tens of thousands of 2-year-olds in New York City is the first step toward Mamdani achieving perhaps his most ambitious proposal, making child care free for all New York City children under the age of 5.

“It’s an opportunity for me to not only celebrate the partnership with the governor on starting to deliver universal child care here in New York City, but also a new kind of partnership between the city and state,” Mamdani told reporters Monday. “For far too long, that has been a relationship framed more by dysfunction than it has been by any kind of dedication to the same set of constituents.”