Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) took the stage at New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani‘s inauguration ceremony on Thursday, cementing her alliance with the socialist as he tests his leftist ideas from Gracie Mansion.
The congresswoman from the Bronx praised New York City voters for electing Mamdani, calling their choice an “ambitious pursuit” during the inauguration ceremony. Ocasio-Cortez championed Mamdani and his progressive platform during his campaign against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who also campaigned with the socialist mayor, administered Mamdani’s public oath of office on Thursday.
“New York City has chosen the ambitious pursuit of universal child care, affordable rent and housing, and clean and dignified public transit for all. And we have chosen that over the distractions of bigotry and the barbarism of extreme income inequality,” Ocasio-Cortez said in her welcome speech Thursday.
She painted this choice toward leftist policies as the “right thing to do” for New York City, saying, “If we can make it here, we can make it anywhere.”
“We have chosen courage over fear. We have chosen prosperity for the many, over spoils for the few. And when the entrenched ways would rather have us dig in our feet and seek refuge in the past, we have chosen instead to turn towards making a new future for all of us,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “In Zohran Mamdani, we have chosen a mayor who is relentlessly dedicated to making life not just possible but aspirational for working people.”
Ocasio-Cortez has made headlines in her advocacy for Mamdani’s agenda since she endorsed his 2025 mayoral campaign. GOP leaders and politicians have paired the two progressives together, with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), saying they’re the “two front-runners for the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 2028,” even though Mamdani is ineligible to serve as president since he was not born in the United States.
Ocasio-Cortez, however, has played into speculation that she could run for president in 2028. She re-posted a poll in mid-December that had her leading Vice President JD Vance in a potential one-on-one match-up, writing on X, “Bloop!” She also told reporters she would “stomp” Vance in a matchup.
With Ocasio-Cortez’s full-fledged support, Mamdani’s administration is seen by pundits as an executive test drive of the progressive policies she endorses.
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In his inauguration speech, Mamdani praised Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) for their progressive leadership, referring to them as “titans” in Congress.
“You have paved the way for this moment,” Mamdani said.
