Do union endorsements still matter? | You Decide

Is labor union influence in New York shifting? Recent elections have raised new questions about the political value of a major labor union endorsement. Andrew Cuomo secured backing from many prominent unions in the 2025 mayoral primary but lost to Zohran Mamdani, while Antonio Reynoso fell to Claire Valdez in a congressional race despite broad labor support. NY1 statehouse reporter Bernadette Hogan joined Errol to examine what a union endorsement means for candidates in 2026. They discussed how an endorsement’s value depends on more than a logo: unions must invest money, mobilize members, and build a real turnout operation for their support to matter. The conversation also explored the union-backed Working Families Party, its tensions with the Democratic Socialists of America, and its challenge of maintaining ballot status while deciding whether to align with Governor Kathy Hochul in this November's election. They also considered Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s high popularity as he approaches consequential contract negotiations with powerful public-sector unions. #NY1 #NYC #News -------- For more on this and the latest NYC news: http://specne.ws/NY1YT Watch live news: http://specne.ws/YTliveSN Get the Spectrum News App on all your favorite devices: http://specne.ws/GetSNApp2