New York Metropolis Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, a longtime political ally to Mayor Adams, endorsed Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdani within the race for Metropolis Corridor on Sunday.
Rodriguez delivered the endorsement throughout a rally in Washington Heights with Mamdani additionally attended by New York Congressman Adriano Espaillat, who’s backing the Democratic mayoral nominee, too.
The endorsement — which comes on the heels of early voting that began Saturday — is important for a number of causes.
Just a few top-ranking advisers to Adams have come out with endorsements within the 2025 mayoral race since he deserted his personal reelection bid final month.
Primarily all these advisers, akin to First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro and Adams confidant Frank Carone, have thrown their weight behind Mamdani’s major opponent, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who’s working as an unbiased. On Thursday, Adams endorsed Cuomo after sparring with him intensely after they had been each nonetheless within the race.
A former Metropolis Council member, Rodriguez was seen as instrumental in serving to line up Latino assist, particularly from uptown Manhattan neighborhoods, for Adams’ profitable 2021 run for mayor.
A spokesman for Adams, who ended his reelection effort final month as he polled useless final within the race, declined to remark Sunday on Rodriguez’s announcement. Adams appointed Rodriguez as his DOT commissioner on the identical day he took workplace in January 2022, and Rodriguez has served in that function ever since.
Mamdani continues to ballot because the clear favourite to win the Nov. 4 election, which additionally consists of Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa.
Initially Revealed: October 26, 2025 at 11:13 AM EDT
