It’s been 12 weeks since Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani carried the city in the 2025 mayoral primary, but couldn’t quite clinch the Bronx vote.
Since then, endorsements for the Democratic mayoral nominee flowed in steadily from the borough’s Democratic representatives. Some, such as Assembly Member Karines Reyes and City Council Member Piernia Ana Sanchez, responded quickly with their support — but others, like the Bronx County Democratic Party and Borough President Vanessa Gibson, took a bit more time through the summer.
But the wait for the Bronx’s biggest power broker — the borough’s top dem, State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie — ended Wednesday in front of the Edenwald YMCA, where he formally endorsed Mamdani in the 2025 Mayor’s Race.
Heastie offered his influence as the representative of “probably the second largest Black community in the entire state of New York,” a demographic that largely turned away from Mamdani during the primary. But while the electorate that Heastie represents may not have voted for Mamdani in the primary, the speaker said that the democratic socialist lawmaker from Queens is committed to issues that matter to Bronx constituents.
“If you notice over the years, the number one population that is leaving New York has been Black people: African American, Caribbean, because of affordability,” Heastie said. “And you know, Zohran’s message has really translated into people’s consciousness, that we actually have to have a place that people can afford to live.”
Mamdani lauded Heastie’s leadership at the Sept. 17 announcement — the two have worked together in Albany for about five years— and he may have addressed the whispers about Heastie’s perceived foot-dragging in endorsing his campaign.
“I’ve seen his leadership,” Mamdani said. “I’ve seen the fact that so often Carl takes the time to ensure that he makes a decision reflective of a larger collective than just himself. There are many leaders who do not do that same kind of work, or many who do not understand leadership to mean a reflection of a larger body.”
Community leaders told the Bronx Times that they believed Mamdani could reach the Bronx voters he failed to speak to in the primaries.
Shirley Fearon, 75, who is a District Leader for the 82nd District, which Heastie represents, said that Mamdani’s activation of young people inspired her. She told the Bronx Times that she thought Mamdani would be able to capture the attention of Bronx voters who chose Cuomo in the primary by speaking directly to them.
“His responses are always clear,” Fearon said. “I always feel his sincerity and his strength.”
When reporters asked what pushed him to stand behind his longtime colleague, Heastie said that he just doesn’t “really endorse a lot.” But then the North Bronx Assembly Member recalled one of Mamdani’s Valentine’s Day campaign commercials, “Will you be my Democrat?” and revealed that he just may be a true romantic.
“One of the things that’s been great about Zohran’s campaign is he has a romantic view of what the city can be and should be,” Heastie said. “And sometimes people want to be romanced. And I think that Zohran has done that, and he’s given a positive vision of what it is.”
Among Mamdani’s more “romantic” views: taxing billionaires.
It’s a campaign platform that the New York City Mayor has little direct control over, but it has nonetheless caused intense fear among business leaders, sparked many backroom meetings from multiple candidates’ respective camps, and even an unsuccessful campaign from Washington D.C. to thin out the competition against Mamdani in the hope of a more competitive race.
But now, Mamdani may have a powerful Bronx ally. Heastie, who has previously shown support for taxing the rich, Wednesday criticized the budget on Capitol Hill for deepening economic inequality and said that he was behind Mamdani’s campaign policies.
“With the ‘One Big Disgusting Bill,’ the rich are getting richer, I just want to point that out,” Heastie said, referencing the “Big Beautiful Bill” that passed the Republican Congress in July.
He seemed assured that his position would not significantly impact his popularity among his political base in the northeast Bronx.
“Well, I’ll tell you this: Millionaire taxes poll extremely well,” Heastie said.
