Harris voices support for New York Democratic mayoral candidate Mamdani

WASHINGTON

Former US Vice President Kamala Harris expressed support Monday for New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani while also highlighting other Democratic candidates across the country as rising stars.

Asked during an MSNBC interview about Mamdani’s candidacy, which some fellow Democrats hesitate to back, Harris responded: “As far as I’m concerned, he’s the Democratic nominee, and he should be supported.”

Pressed on whether she endorses Mamdani directly, she said: “I support the Democrat in the race. Sure.”

At the same time, Harris cautioned against focusing exclusively on the New York race, pointing to other Democratic candidates.

“He’s not the only star (in the party),” she said. “There are people like Barbara Drummond in Mobile, Alabama, Helena Moreno in New Orleans. They’re all running for mayor too, and they are stars. So I hope that we don’t so over-index on New York City that we lose sight of the stars throughout our country who are right now running for mayor and many other offices.”

Mamdani, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, has quickly become a rising star among progressive Democrats after he won New York City's mayoral Democratic primary in June, putting him on track to become the first Muslim and first South Asian to lead the US's largest city by population.