In his rise to power, Mayor Zohran Mamdani became known for his irreverent and arresting direct-to-camera videos, capturing viral voter interest for himself and his political allies.
He plunged into icy water to highlight his proposals on freezing the rent and made playful forays on the basketball court to push the candidacies of three congressional hopefuls. (They all won their primaries.)
On Thursday, Mr. Mamdani was back in front of the camera, this time for Gov. Kathy Hochul in his first campaign message for perhaps his most significant ally.
The 73-second video is scored with a version of the Charlie XCX song “Apple,” which made “Brat Summer” and a certain puke-green hue famous or infamous depending on whom you ask.
The spot has few props or much pizazz — unless you count an apple, some colorful flowers and a gleaming white kitchen-counter top.
Aesthetics aside, the video seems to reflect Mr. Mamdani’s slight conundrum in trying to fulfill his role in ensuring Ms. Hochul’s re-election despite their ideological differences.
“I’m voting for Governor Hochul because she’s the real deal for New Yorkers,” he says, seated alone in a kitchen, before throwing the apple — now half eaten — into a sink, and likening the fruit to Ms. Hochul’s Republican opponent, Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive.
“Bruce Blakeman, he’s a bad apple,” the mayor says.
Mr. Mamdani focuses mostly on Mr. Blakeman and his support for cutting Medicaid while expanding funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who, the mayor says, “kidnap your friends, family and neighbors.”
The mayor makes no mention of President Trump, a political confidant of Mr. Blakeman’s and an intriguing bromance partner of Mr. Mamdani’s, even though Ms. Hochul’s campaign ads frequently seek to tie Mr. Blakeman to the president.
Recent public polls show Ms. Hochul, 68, leading her opponent by between nine and 19 percentage points. But aides to the governor have expressed some worry that the lack of competitive down-ballot contests — particularly in vote-rich New York City, where support for Mr. Mamdani and Ms. Hochul is strongest — could produce lighter turnout than expected for a midterm election.
With videos like this one and joint appearances that are expected to occur over the next few weeks, Mr. Mamdani is hoping to counter that dynamic. The goal will be to remind voters that having Mr. Blakeman in office could imperil the mayor’s agenda.
Mr. Mamdani’s video mentions a few times when his surprisingly durable alliance with Ms. Hochul has helped New York City.
Shortly after his inauguration, Mr. Mamdani stood beside the governor as she announced a multibillion-dollar investment to expand child care in the city, a central plank of both their campaigns. He then endorsed her in February, and despite some friction, Ms. Hochul also helped funnel billions from the state to the city to help Mr. Mamdani close a large budget deficit.
“When Bruce was busy — or actually Bruce wasn’t that busy — Governor Hochul was helping us close a $12 billion budget deficit here in New York City,” Mr. Mamdani says in the video.
Mr. Blakeman, in turn, has been critical of Mr. Mamdani since entering the governor’s race last December, but the rancor of his attacks has ratcheted up in recent weeks.
While seeking the backing of Hasidic leaders over the past weekend, Mr. Blakeman said that Mr. Mamdani would not act if riots hit their community, comments that drew strong condemnation. He also said that Ms. Hochul would not act either.
“People don’t like Kathy Hochul,” he said, according to audio excerpts obtained by The New York Times. “They don’t like her and they don’t like her association with Zohran Mamdani.”
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