Days after Sen. Chris Van Hollen endorsed progressive Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City and called those in his party who hesitated “spineless,” other Maryland Democrats aren’t exactly lining up to back the Democratic nominee in the Big Apple.
So far, Van Hollen and Rep. Jamie Raskin have praised Mamdani, the state legislator and Democratic Socialists of America member who shocked the status quo by defeating former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in June’s Democratic Party primary.
But multiple other Maryland Democrats did not respond Monday by deadline to The Baltimore Sun’s requests for comment on Mamdani’s candidacy. Gov. Wes Moore’s office declined to comment in an official capacity and referred questions to “the political side” — meaning a spokesman for his re-election campaign, who did not reply.
The Sun also reached out to the following elected officials in Maryland, none of whom responded.
- Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott
- Sen. Angela Alsobrooks
- Rep. Sarah Elfreth
- Rep. Kweisi Mfume
- Rep. Glenn Ivey
- Rep. Steny Hoyer
- Rep. April McClain Delaney
- Rep. Johnny Olszewski
- Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson
- Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones
Recent polls show Mamdani as the favorite in a four-way race in New York City against Cuomo, incumbent mayor Eric Adams, and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
Mamdani has called for higher taxes on the wealthy, rent freezes and public grocery stores — stances that make him controversial in New York’s business community and among Democratic politicians who have been hesitant to endorse him.
Flavio Hickel, a political science professor at Washington College, said he believes Democrats are hesitant to endorse Mamdani for several reasons. Not only is he a young political newcomer whose leadership style is unknown, but the race also carries “a lot of elevated risk,” especially as President Trump has openly threatened to send federal troops to various cities.
“It’s not a stretch to imagine that New York could be added to that list,” Hickel said. “Trump may very well use the pretense of a self-described democratic socialist being mayor as a part of a reason for doing that.”
Hickel added that congressional Democrats “may rather not say anything, particularly given the New York leadership hadn’t stepped in,” referring to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Van Hollen, Raskin back Mamdani
At an Iowa fundraiser on Saturday, Van Hollen announced he would support Mamdani. The senator also accused New York Democrats — though not Schumer and Jeffries by name — of “spineless politics” for refusing to back Mamdani as their party’s legitimate nominee.
“Many Democratic members of the Senate and the House representing New York have stayed on the sidelines,” Van Hollen said. “That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of. They need to get behind him and get behind him now.”
In Iowa, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) criticizes New York members of Congress who haven’t endorsed Zohran Mamdani’s candidacy for NYC Mayor.
“That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of,” he says. “They need to get behind him, and get behind him now.” pic.twitter.com/j9Nl4oN4RR
— bryan metzger (@metzgov) September 13, 2025
Van Hollen’s comments prompted a spokesman for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who was among those to not endorse Mamdani, to dub Maryland’s senior senator “Chris Van Who?” and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to endorse Mamdani on Sunday.
Todd Belt, a professor and political management program director at The George Washington University, said such a political battle reflects the current “power vacuum” within the Democratic Party.
“Some believe the party should be more aggressive in giving voters something progressive to vote for, while others think that moderation is the key to winning back Congress in a year when the election is likely a referendum on Trump,” Belt said in a written statement to The Sun. “I think Senator Van Hollen’s comment reflects this frustration in the Democratic Party.”
Raskin told The New York Times last week that Mamdani is a “significant and inspiring leader” whose “politics have a Rooseveltian quality to them,” referring to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
“In these times, the Democratic Party needs to stick together with the maximum solidarity and focus,” Raskin said. “Even though I’m not a New Yorker and have never been a New Yorker, I feel that Democrats must stand together to defend not only our party but our constitution and our country.”
By endorsing Mamdani, Van Hollen and Raskin join progressive firebrands like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — both of whom have campaigned with Mamdani. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal are also supporting him.
Trump bucks Sliwa, boosts Cuomo
For his part, President Donald Trump — a name once synonymous with New York — has not gotten behind Sliwa as the Republican mayoral nominee. Trump called Sliwa “not exactly prime time” during an appearance on Friday on Fox News.
“He wants cats in Gracie Mansion. We don’t need to have thousands of cats,” Trump said, referring to a report that Sliwa once housed 17 cats in his Upper West Side apartment.
So far, Trump and his allies have sought to stop Mamdani by boosting Cuomo, whom polls have consistently shown in second place. A Quinnipiac University poll released last Wednesday found Mamdani with 45% support among likely voters, Cuomo at 23%, Sliwa at 15% and Adams at 12%.
According to Politico, Trump administration officials have considered Adams for an ambassadorship to Saudi Arabia if he drops out of the race. But for now, all three trailing candidates insist they will continue running for mayor against Mamdani.
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