Harris 'reluctantly' endorses Democratic New York mayor candidate Mamdani

Former US vice president Kamala Harris has given her first television interview since losing last year’s presidential election, where she reluctantly endorsed New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

In an interview with Rachel Maddow on MSNBC on Monday, Harris said that she "supports the Democrat in the race" for New York mayor, scheduled for later this year.

The Democratic Party's former presidential candidate's endorsement is Mamdani's most high-profile yet, despite Harris omitting his name during the announcement.

Mamdani, a socialist who has served as a member of the New York State Assembly since 2021, rose to fame earlier his year after defeating scandal-hit veteran politician Andrew Cuomo in the party’s primary in June this year, securing his place as the Democratic Party’s nominee for New York mayor.

His campaign style, which included rapid, viral videos and vivid, eye-catching graphics as well as his policies, became a hit with many of New York’s residents as well as on the internet.

During his campaign, Mamdani pledged to fare-free city buses, city-owned grocery stores, a rent freeze on rent-stabilised units and a minimum wage of $30 per hour by 2030 - among others.

His charismatic style and inclusive nature of New York's diverse demographics also made him a hit with voters.

The former housing councillor and graduate of Bowdoin College, who is Shia Muslim, is the son of Osar-nominated Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair and Ugandan academic Mahmoud Mamdani.

Mamdani has also been vocally pro-Palestine throughout his career, and has sharply criticised Israel's war on Gaza.

"Look, as far as I’m concerned, he's the Democratic nominee and she should be supported," Harris said when asked about his candidacy.

"Do you endorse his candidacy?" Maddow then asked, to which Harris replied: "I support the Democrat in the race, sure," without saying his name.

Harris went on to say that Mamdani was not "the only star" running for mayor, mentioning candidates like Barbara Drummond in Mobile, Alabama, and Helena Moreno in New Orleans, Louisiana.

"I hope that we don’t so over-index on New York City that we lose sight of the stars throughout our country," she said. "So that’s where I am - we've got a big tent and we’ve got a lot of stars," she added.

In a statement on Tuesday in response to Harris’ endorsement, Mamdani's office said her support "underscores that our fight for affordability is striking a chord not just here in New York, but with Democrats across the country".

"We’re thrilled by the growing wave of support for our campaign," he said.

Harris's appearance on The Rachel Maddow show is her first official television interview since being defeated by current President Donald Trump in last year's US presidential elections.

Following her loss to the Republican, Harris has maintained a somewhat low profile from politics, and went on to sign with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for publishing and public speaking opportunities.

Harris was rumoured to run in the 2026 California gubernatorial election but clarified that she would not in July this year.

Harris also firmly rejected the possibility of running in the 2028 presidential election, saying it wasn't "her focus at all".

During her presidential campaign, Harris was criticised by pro-Palestinian activists for saying she would maintain military support for Israel despite the deadly onslaught in Gaza.