Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) believes Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) endorsed New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani out of fear he would mobilize his progressive movement against her.
Stefanik made the claim after an undercover video showed a Mamdani campaign staffer saying Mamdani would tell his “60,000 volunteers” to work for Hochul’s opponent, though it’s unclear why he would. Mamdani is favored to win against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
The video appeared edited, and it’s unclear what context the campaign staffer, appearing to be canvass director Robert Akleh, said it under. Akleh also said it took a couple of months for Hochul, “to find out that we’re the Democratic nominee now,” about her delay to endorse him.
He later added that he thought this about the New York police officer’s thoughts on Mamdani: “Who gives a sh*t what they think? You’re a city employee. Tell you, you get told what to do. Shut up.”
Stefanik, who may run for governor against Hochul in 2026, pounced.
“Kathy Hochul was forced to bend the knee and endorse Zohran Mamdani, a terrorist jihadist sympathizer whose political team threatened her with a primary if she did not endorse the antisemite, Defund the Police Communist backed by the Democrat Socialists of America whose platform includes defunding the police and terrorism,” she said in a statement shared with the Washington Examiner.
“Everyone in New York politics understands that Kathy Hochul is a politically weak Governor and was forced to bend the knee to Mamdani and the DSA in exchange for them not primarying her. And last night, Mamdani embarrassed Hochul on the debate stage, refusing to endorse her. Clearly, Commie Mamdani is the puppet master of the Worst Governor in America,” she added.
Hochul endorsed Mamdani in September after holding out for months on backing him. She called him “a leader who is focused on making New York City affordable.”
Stefanik had been eager to link Hochul to the Democratic-socialist, who could play well in New York City but less so with the state’s Republican and moderate voters. The endorsement gave Stefanik concrete negative messaging on Hochul, who has disagreed with Mamdani on things like raising taxes.
A recent internal poll from Stefanik’s campaign showed the Republican within about 5 points of beating Hochul, 43% to 48%. That’s if she does decide to run, and if Hochul can make it out of a contentious primary already featuring her lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado.
STEFANIK REPORTS $12 MILLION CAMPAIGN WAR CHEST AS MOMENTUM BUILDS FOR GOVERNOR RUN
Stefanik could make her decision as to whether she’ll run after the New York City mayoral election on Nov. 4.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Mamdani and Hochul campaigns for comment, but did not receive a response.