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NYC Mayor Mamdani gets a hero’s welcome as Gov. Hochul echoes his agenda

By

Brigid Bergin

and

Jimmy Vielkind

Published Jan 15, 2026

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Mamdani and Hochul holding their hands in the air.

 

Susan Watts/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul

By

Brigid Bergin

and

Jimmy Vielkind

Published Jan 15, 2026

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This column originally appeared in The Politics Brief, our weekly newsletter on the people, power and policies that shape New Yorkers' lives.

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When Zohran Mamdani attended Gov. Kathy Hochul’s State of the State speech last year, he was just one of more than 100 Democratic state assemblymembers — and a low-polling long-shot mayoral candidate.

On Tuesday, he made a triumphant return to Albany as New York City mayor.

The affordability message that fueled his winning campaign is now being imitated by Hochul, who is running for re-election this year.

Mamdani got the celebrity treatment, Albany style. Many of his former colleagues gave him a standing ovation in the Assembly chamber.

The 34-year-old then rode in the elevator with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie on his way to The Egg, the brutalist concrete theater where Hochul gave her remarks. At the speech, he took his seat in the fourth row, between Rochester Mayor Malik Evans and Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens.

Mamdani was the only local official the governor introduced by name, and the announcement drew sustained cheers and applause. When Hochul played a video message from local mayors and county executives, Mamdani was featured prominently.

“She’s been focused on making New York more affordable, and is a trusted partner in our shared fight for universal child care,” Mamdani said in the video.

Last week, they stood shoulder to shoulder as she announced her plan to fund an expansion of child care statewide, including funding for the first two years of a child care program for 2-year-olds, referred to as 2-care, in New York City. She repeated her commitment on Tuesday.

“ This plan will ultimately deliver universal child care for every single family in New York, full stop,” said Hochul, prompting Mamdani to spring from his seat to lead a standing ovation.

Mamdani’s platform has dominated the conversation so much that legislators said they were being careful to ensure New York City is not the only beneficiary of expanded access to child care.

”We want to make sure that we recognize that we have 2-year-olds in upstate New York as well,” said state Sen. Jeremy Cooney, a Rochester Democrat. “So how are we going to apply the governor's pilot program for universal child care in communities outside of New York City?”

Some of Mamdani’s other priorities did not make it into Hochul’s address. But in a break from the traditional battles that often define the relationship between New York City’s mayor and the state, Mamdani said he is focused on partnership.

“Gov. Hochul and I are intent on charting a new course of cooperation,” Mamdani told reporters after the event.

At the same, he said he plans to continue lobbying for more big-ticket items, such as his proposal for fast and free buses.

“ What gives me a real sense of hope and confidence is that the greatest accomplishments we've ever had in the fight for free buses have come through Albany in the past,” Mamdani said. “I continue to believe that it can come through Albany in the future.”

He also said he will continue to make the case for his entire affordability agenda, including raising revenue through tax hikes on corporations and the wealthiest New Yorkers. Hochul has said she opposes those increases.

After the speech, Mamdani was mobbed by people leaving the theater. New York City Councilmember Gale Brewer took the mayor aside to lobby him to keep Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber, who tendered her resignation last week.

But even some of the mayor's friends were unable to get space on his dance card — including state Sen. Gustavo Rivera, one of his early endorsers in the Legislature. They have texted, but didn't link up in person.

"He obviously was a busy guy," Rivera said. "I certainly was happy to see him back up in Albany, sitting in a different part of the room."

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Brigid Bergin

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Brigid Bergin is an award-winning senior reporter on the People and Power desk. She is fiercely committed to telling stories that help people engage and support democracy. In 2022, she hosted a live, ten-week call-in politics show ahead of the midterm elections called The People's Guide to Power. Brigid's reporting in 2017 included some of the first coverage of a political newcomer now known as AOC. In 2016, she broke the news of a voter purge in Brooklyn just days before New York’s presidential primary, triggering city, state and federal investigations. Brigid also guest hosts The Brian Lehrer Show and All Of It. She graduated from the University at Albany and the CUNY Newmark School of Journalism. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-723-4719.

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Jimmy Vielkind

Jimmy Vielkind covers how state government and politics affect people throughout New York. He has covered Albany since 2008, most recently as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal. Jimmy led a team of reporters that won a New York Press Club award for coverage of Andrew Cuomo’s downfall and was on a team that won a Gerald Loeb Award for coverage of Amazon’s HQ2 process. A native of the Capitol Region, Jimmy has two degrees in urban planning. His position is funded by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Reach Jimmy at [email protected].

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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