Gov. Kathy Hochul had held off for weeks on endorsing Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old Democrat who resoundingly won New York City's mayoral primary but has taken stances far to the left of hers.

So when she finally did so on Sunday, Sept. 14, with a news column about her shared ground and differences with Mamdani, it set off political waves well beyond the city's five boroughs. With her own re-election race looming next year, Hochul's Mamdani endorsement will likely be felt not only in November's mayoral contest but also in the 2026 governor's race.

In a New York Times opinion piece, Hochul based her decision largely on their shared interest in making New York more affordable. "Affordability" is her mantra, and it was also the campaign message that carried a two-term assemblyman to a s

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