Zohran Mamdani makes ‘high-risk, high-reward’ move to reshape New York’s voice in Washington

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is seeking to put his stamp on the city’s congressional delegation with a trio of endorsements against incumbent lawmakers and their picks, a move that could further expand the power of his democratic socialist movement or thwart its progress — and dent his own image in the process.“This is high-risk, high reward,” said Rebecca Katz, a prominent Democratic strategist and ally whose firm worked with Mamdani during his 2025 run.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is seeking to put his stamp on the city’s congressional delegation with a trio of endorsements against incumbent lawmakers and their picks, a move that could further expand the power of his democratic socialist movement or thwart its progress — and dent his own image in the process.

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“This is high-risk, high reward,” said Rebecca Katz, a prominent Democratic strategist and ally whose firm worked with Mamdani during his 2025 run. “He’s not afraid to take some big swings.”

Politically, the endorsements are Mamdani’s biggest swings yet as mayor. He is backing former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who joined forces with Mamdani in last year’s mayoral election, in a contest to oust Rep. Dan Goldman in a district split between Manhattan and Brooklyn.