The 25-year-old daughter of the former second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, is making waves for her endorsement in the New York City mayoral race. 

Ella Emhoff on Sunday pitched her support behind the Democratic socialist candidate, Zohran Mamdani, a member of the state assembly, in what some are interpreting as an inherent slight to her step-mother, Vice President Harris. 

That’s because Mr. Mamdani, a staunch anti-Israel advocate, was involved in New York’s “Leave It Blank” campaign, in which he and several other anti-Israel Democrats urged constituents to protest President Biden’s stance on Israel by submitting blank ballots during the Democratic primaries when he was a presidential candidate. 

Mr. Mamdani’s anti-Biden campaign proved effective, with about 28 percent of voters in his district, Assembly District 36, casting blank ballots in the Democratic primaries. 

A former director of the New York City mayor’s office of appointments, Joni Kletter, described Ms. Emhoff’s endorsement as “crazy” given that Mr. Mamdani — and his Democratic Socialist party — “did a lot of damage to Kamala Harris and her campaign last year,” she wrote on X. 

Ms. Emhoff publicized her backing of the anti-Israel assembly member ahead of his rally at Brooklyn Steel on Sunday night. Ms. Emhoff, while participating in the “pass the phone” social media trend, filmed herself saying: “I’m passing the phone to the next mayor of New York City, who’s going to make New York happier, healthier and more affordable,” before handing the camera to Mr. Mamdani. 

Mr. Mamdani later thanked Ms. Emhoff for her endorsement, sharing on X that he’s: “Grateful for Ella Emhoff’s support in our fight to make New York City more affordable.” 

The Queens assembly member drew some 2,000 supporters — including many keffiyeh wearers — to Brooklyn for his Sunday night rally. During his speech, Mr. Mamdani reiterated his campaign pledges to impose a rent freeze, provide universal child care, and build city-owned grocery stores. The 33-year-old state assembly member has been consistently polling second to front-runner Andrew Cuomo, the former governor.