In a crowded mayoral field, members of New York’s congressional delegation are choosing sides.

Such electoral endorsements can help candidates frame a message or target specific voting blocs. But this year, the opposite is also happening: two congressmen have withdrawn their support of a candidate.

What You Need To Know

  • Several NY congressional lawmakers have made endorsements in the mayoral race, though no single candidate has racked up more than two

  • In the race for congressional endorsements, Scott Stringer once led the pack, nabbing three: Reps. Jerry Nadler, Jamaal Bowman, and Adriano Espaillat. Bowman and Espaillat have since rescinded their endorsements in light of sexual assault allegations

  • Two of the city’s highest-profile congressional leaders - Reps. Hakeem Jeffries and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - have so far not shown their cards

The endorsements

In the race for congressional endorsements, Scott Stringer once led the pack, nabbing three: Reps. Jerry Nadler, Jamaal Bowman, and Adriano Espaillat.

But in the past week, after a former campaign volunteer accused Stringer of sexually assaulting her 20 years ago, Bowman and Espaillat backed out, rescinding their endorsements.

Democratic strategist Jon Reinish, who has worked on past mayoral elections but is not currently affiliated with a campaign this cycle, said the move by Bowman and Espaillat sent a clear message.

"That's telegraphing a lack of trust," Reinish said. "That’s saying, 'I don't think that you're the future.'"

Stringer has denied the allegations, and Nadler has so far stuck with him, writing in a statement that while the allegations “deserve” to be heard, “I have known Scott to be a man of enduring character and integrity.”

A look at which mayoral candidates the city's members of Congress have endorsed.

So where does that leave the rest of the pack?

Maya Wiley, who would be the first female mayor if elected, has won the support of Reps. Nydia Velazquez and Yvette Clarke of Brooklyn, potentially helping her make inroads in the city’s most populous borough.

Several other candidates have one endorsement each.

Rep. Ritchie Torres is backing Andrew Yang, describing Yang in a recent interview as "independent of a political establishment that has largely failed the city of New York."

Torres, whose Bronx district is one of the poorest in the country, could help underscore Yang’s message of fighting for lower income individuals, Reinish said.

Ray McGuire has Rep. Greg Meeks of Queens in his camp. Meeks called McGuire a person who can give New Yorkers "hope again, and be able to deliver upon that hope."

Reinish described Meeks as "a powerful figure in a deeply diverse, richly black community" and said his endorsement "gives the McGuire campaign a shot in the arm."

Queens Rep. Tom Suozzi supports Eric Adams, which Reinish said helps reinforce Adams’ more moderate bonafides.

Members who haven't endorsed

A handful of New York congressional leaders have so far not shown their cards as part of the primary, including two of the city’s highest-profile members: Reps. Hakeem Jeffries and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

"I may just allow things to play themselves out," Jeffries said when asked last week if he planned to endorse.

Not all congressional endorsements are created equal, though, and some carry potentially a lot more weight.

"If I'm Maya Wiley, Andrew Yang, Dianne Morales, Kathryn Garcia, let's just say I've probably put in quite a few calls to AOC’s staff," Reinish said.

New York’s two U.S. senators have so far sidestepped picking sides in the race, and are not expected to endorse as part of the primary.