The Staten Island Democratic Party has formally declared its support for Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for mayor of New York City, in a major political shift that has seen it withdraw its endorsement of former Governor Andrew Cuomo. The action highlights a rising trend of party unity in support of Mamdani, a progressive Assemblymember from Queens who won the nomination after a contentious primary.
In the Democratic primary, Cuomo defeated Mamdani with 46. 5% of the vote in Staten Island, while Mamdani received 37.5% of the vote. But in the end, Mamdani prevailed in ranked-choice voting for the citywide nomination, winning the last round with 56.4% of the vote and overcoming Cuomo.
The change was explained by Staten Island Democratic Party Chair Laura LoBianco Sword, who stressed the significance of upholding the democratic process and supporting the candidate picked by voters. “Zohran is the Democratic nominee,” She said, “The voters have spoken. We want to work together and ensure Staten Island has a seat at the table.“
Democratic organizations in Manhattan and Brooklyn have taken similar steps to support Mamdani, even though they previously supported Cuomo. The coordinated change indicates a larger effort among local Democrats to unite behind a common cause and prevent divisions as the general election approaches.
With the Staten Island Democratic Party’s endorsement, the borough’s Democratic leaders have made it clear that they are supporting their party’s nominee and siding with the electorate.
