New York, New York - New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie has become the latest top Democrat in the state to endorse Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor.

"I'm here today to say I am proudly endorsing Zohran to be our next mayor of the city of New York," Heastie said in the Bronx on Wednesday.

"Zohran's message has really translated into people's consciousness that we actually have to have a place that people can afford to live," he added.

The Democratic leader said he supports the Mamdani campaign's prioritization of free buses, universal childcare, and increased taxes for the wealthy.

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"I'm so grateful for today's endorsement from Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie," Mamdani posted on X. "It's been an honor to serve in the majority conference he leads in Albany and I look forward to the important work we can accomplish together for the people of New York City."

Heastie's endorsement came just days after New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced she was backing the 33-year-old state assemblymember to lead the nation's largest city.

"The question of who will be the next mayor is one I take extremely seriously and to which I have devoted a great deal of thought. I am endorsing Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani," Hochul wrote in a New York Times op-ed published Sunday.

Ahead of the November 4 election, Mamdani retains a sizable lead in recent polls as he faces off against former Governor Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams – both Democrats turned independents – as well as Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.

In addition to gathering endorsements from key lawmakers, Mamdani has been working to increase his support among working-class people across the city.

The mayoral candidate rallied with Teamsters on strike in the Bronx on Monday as he supported the union's call for a fair contract from employer Perrigo Pharmaceutical.

Perrigo sparked serious concerns when it announced it would roll back overtime pay for employees and stop making contributions to their retirement plans as it expands operations to 24 hours a day. On top of that, the over-the-counter drug manufacturer reportedly said it intended to permanently replace striking workers.

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Over 200 Teamsters Local 210 members have been on strike since September 2, demanding fair pay and protections from the company.

"I come here as a Democratic nominee for mayor of this city, to make it clear that I will use my bully pulpit to stand alongside workers, no matter where they are," Mamdani said in a statement on Monday.

"We also know that this is part of a larger crisis across this country, where the Trump administration is looking to roll back labor protections, and we have a company like Perrigo looking to take advantage of that," he continued.

"We need a City Hall that stands with labor, not a City Hall that sits down when big business asks them. Ours is going to be one that stands up for the working New Yorkers who too often have been pushed to the side of our politics."

Mamdani has racked up a number of labor endorsements – including from Teamsters Local 804 – as he looks toward the general election in less than two months.