Mamdani taps into Knicks fever to do what Mamdani does best

Zohran Mamdani loves the Knicks, and while all New Yorkers may not be a fan of the democratic socialist mayor’s policies, few are likely to argue with his passion for NYC’s most popular teams. The 34-year-old mayor has been vocally supporting his team as they make their first NBA finals run since 1999. At the same time, Mamdani has been using the exciting and wildly popular historic moment to capture the attention of New Yorkers and direct them toward pressing political matters. In a political ad that aired on Wednesday night during post-game coverage, Mamdani reminded New Yorkers to get out and vote in the upcoming congressional primaries. He endorsed three candidates for the House of Representatives, including Brad Lander, whom he ran against in the mayoral race (the two endorsed one another in an effort to block Andrew Cuomo’s efforts). He also endorsed local candidates Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez. While Valdez is running for an open seat, Lander and Avila Chevalier are challenging Democratic incumbents, meaning the mayor’s efforts to shake up the race could be especially consequential. Avila Chevalier is taking on Adriano Espaillat, a fixture in local politics for decades and a U.S. representative since 2017. In the 30-second spot, as the candidates tossed a basketball, they each made a singular campaign promise. Lander said he would “block billionaires from buying our elections,” while Avila Chevalier says she will “abolish ICE” and Valdez vowed to “stand up to bad landlords and greedy corporations.” At the end of the video, the ball is tossed back to Mamdani who asserts, “This is the team,” telling voters that if they want an affordable city, the path to getting there is by electing these three public servants. In a written statement, per The New York Times, Mamdani drew a comparison between the excitement over the Knicks and local politics in NYC. “It’s a new era in Knicks