New Jersey Democrats avoid endorsing NYC mayoral candidate Mamdani

New York City filter Zahran MamdaniA self-described democratic socialist, the mayor’s race to lead New York City has emerged as one of the most high-profile elections of the 2025 off-year cycle.

But across the Hudson River in New Jersey, Mamdani’s race has remained out of the spotlight with the Garden State’s gubernatorial election taking center stage and Democrats in the state neglecting to endorse or even mention the progressive candidate.

“I will not be running this race because I am completely focused on New Jersey.” New Jersey Rep. Mickey Sherrill, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, said earlier in October about Mamdani’s race. “I will let the people of New York decide this race.”

The off-year election cycle focused primarily on four elections: California ballot measure to redistrict congressional lines; New York City Mayor Election; And the gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey.

The Democrat in the primary gubernatorial race is keeping his distance from Mamdani in New York City

Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zahran Mamdani describes himself as a democratic socialist. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Mamdani describes himself as a democratic socialist, with critics identifying him as a “communist” despite the candidate’s response that he does not hold communist ideologies.

Fox News Digital had previously reported that Mamdani supported extreme Marxist and communist principles, such as advocating the seizure of the “means of production,” a tax plan aimed at “taxing the wealthiest New Yorkers,” and publicly calling for a communist mayor of New York City in 2020.

New Jersey’s gubernatorial election and the state’s incoming Democratic lawmakers have overwhelmingly avoided the Mamdani race, with other lawmakers and Democratic leaders — from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to New York Attorney General Letitia James to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore — throwing their support behind the candidate.

Last July, Sherrill said she would likely support Mamdani’s candidacy as the Democratic Party’s mayoral candidate before backing away months later.

“If he’s the Democratic nominee, which he appears to be, then I suppose I’ll support him,” she told NBC Philadelphia in July. “If it’s going to work toward effective government, that’s something that’s very interesting to me.”

But Mamdani said he would.”definitely“The New Jersey Democrat supported during a local media interview in New York in August.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat from New Jersey, during a news conference about Signal messaging chat used by Trump administration officials, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Daniel Hoyer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Democratic Senator from New Jersey. Cory Booker He also evaded answering whether he supported Mamdani in a CNN interview in August.

“I learned a long time ago: Leave New York policy “It’s New York politics,” Booker said when asked if he would support Mamdani’s election in August. “We have enough challenges in Jersey. I’ve got the governor’s race. I’m supporting Mickey Sherrill. I’ve got legislative races. That’s where my energy is going in November.”

“New York City, I love you,” Booker added. “You’re my neighbor. You’re about 10 miles from where I live. You guys are counting your elections. I’ll focus on mine.”

The head of the New York State Democratic Party refuses to endorse Mamdani, causing a major split in the party

Cory Booker, the Democratic senator from New Jersey, also evaded answering whether he supported Mamdani in a CNN interview in August. (BG/Power-Griffin/GC Images)

Incumbent Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim have not commented publicly on Mamdani’s race, a Fox News Digital review of recent past statements found.

However, one of Sherrill’s primary rivals, Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer, has repeatedly criticized Mamdani as a “job-killing socialist.”

“You will not hear any ambiguity from my mouth,” Gottheimer said in July. “We don’t need a job-killing socialist who wants to raise taxes and subsidies Anti-Semitic rhetoric. right? “In a city with the highest taxes in the country and the largest Jewish population.”

Gottheimer also teamed up with a fellow Republican from across the Hudson, Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, to criticize Mamdani in September, after the socialist candidate said he would repeal a Holocaust memorial group’s definition of “anti-Semitism” if elected mayor.

Former Mayor de Blasio calls socialist Mamdani New York City’s answer to Trump’s policies

“Zahran Mamdani’s reckless attempt to roll back New York City’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) Working Definition of Anti-Semitism is shameful, dangerous and utterly disgusting,” the two lawmakers said in a joint statement in September.

Phil Murphy, Governor of New Jersey, during an interview in New York, United States, on Friday, November 22, 2024. (Jenna Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Lesser-known elected officials in New Jersey have endorsed Mamdani, including leftist Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.

Baraka found himself in the crosshairs of the Trump administration’s deportation efforts when he was arrested and charged in May for trespassing at a federal immigration detention facility while attempting to conduct a supervisory tour of the facility. The charge was later dropped, with Baraka later suing interim U.S. Attorney Alina Haba for false arrest and malicious prosecution.

Baraka was listed on Mamdani’s endorsement page, as the Newark mayor posted an endorsement video on his social media accounts in June celebrating that the New York City candidate would be “strong on Democratic values” and stand up for the Constitution if elected.

Zahran Mamdani responded to reporters’ questions about protesters outside the anti-Trump event on Staten Island. (Deirdre Heavy/Fox News Digital)

New Jersey’s election is highly anticipated on the heels of President Donald Trump’s success with voters in the deep blue state in the 2024 election, sparking renewed enthusiasm to flip the state red.

New Jersey is expected to support the former vice president Kamala Harris As president almost in the 2024 race, but post-election data showed Trump and the GOP flipped five counties red, with Trump specifically cutting his 2020 loss from 16 points to six points in 2024.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Sherrill’s campaign, Murphy’s office, Booker’s office and Kim’s office for additional comment on the lack of support for the socialist candidate in New York City but did not immediately receive responses. Fox News Digital also reached out to Mamdani’s campaign about the lack of high-level support from Democrats in New Jersey.