Context:

Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander, noted progressive candidates in the Democratic primary for New York City's mayoral race, have formed a cross-endorsement partnership to challenge former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, who leads in the polls. This strategic alliance is aimed at leveraging the city's ranked-choice voting system, wherein voters rank up to five candidates, to boost their chances against Cuomo by pooling votes. Both candidates emphasize integrity and criticize Cuomo's campaign, hoping their combined efforts will surpass his. Their collaboration echoes a previous ranked-choice voting success story in 2021 involving Andrew Yang and Kathryn Garcia, highlighting its potential impact. Endorsed by prominent figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mamdani and Lander focus on affordability and technocratic governance to appeal to younger voters, while urging supporters to exclude Cuomo from their ballots due to his controversial past and perceived lack of integrity.

Dive Deeper:

• Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander, leading progressive candidates in the New York City mayoral race, have cross-endorsed each other to strengthen their position against Andrew M. Cuomo, the frontrunner in the polls. Their partnership aims to utilize the ranked-choice voting system, encouraging their supporters to rank them as their top two choices to consolidate votes.

• The ranked-choice voting system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, with votes transferring to lower-ranked candidates if top choices are eliminated. This mechanism could potentially elevate Mamdani or Lander above Cuomo, who does not exceed 50% in first-choice votes.

• Both candidates have attacked Cuomo's integrity and highlighted their commitment to progressive values, claiming their combined strength could dismantle Cuomo's campaign, which they liken to a 'house of cards'. The partnership was announced just before the start of early voting, emphasizing its strategic timing.

• Historical precedence from the 2021 mayoral primary shows how ranked-choice endorsements can significantly impact election outcomes, as seen when Andrew Yang's endorsement of Kathryn Garcia helped her gain votes, though she did not reciprocate the endorsement.

• Mamdani and Lander's campaign strategies include focusing on affordability issues and appealing to younger voters, with endorsements from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Working Families Party enhancing their credibility. They maintain a united front against Cuomo, who faces criticism due to past scandals and has labeled their alliance as unlikely to affect his campaign.

• The cross-endorsement may trigger other similar alliances as the primary nears, with Cuomo's interactions with other candidates like Whitney Tilson suggesting possible strategic maneuvers. Meanwhile, candidates such as Adrienne Adams and Zellnor Myrie have also engaged in cooperative tactics to bolster their visibility and policies.

• Despite criticism, Mamdani and Lander remain focused on their shared vision for New York City, emphasizing a mayoral leadership that is deeply familiar with and dedicated to the city's long-term residents and challenges, contrasting with Cuomo's perceived opportunistic comeback.