New York Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsed Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, on Sunday night in a guest essay in The New York Times Opinion section, providing critical support ahead of the November election.

Hochul’s endorsement, after months of deliberation, is the latest sign that Democratic leaders who have been skeptical of Mamdani’s leftist views are beginning to coalesce around him.

Hochul and Mamdani represent divergent sectors of their party. She is a moderate who recently declared herself a lover of capitalism, vowed not to raise taxes and supports Israel. He is a democratic socialist who wants higher taxes on the richest New Yorkers and is highly critical of Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.

The two leaders also have vastly different life stories: H

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