Mamdani, Espaillat keep distance at Dominican parade

Mayor Zohran Mamdani kept the focus on the Dominican Day Parade on Sunday as he and Rep. Adriano Espaillat appeared at the Manhattan celebration while staying apart. The Dominican Day Parade offered a public backdrop for the two Democrats, but neither man used the event to explain their strained relationship.

When asked whether he and Espaillat had spoken during a Friday press conference on parade security, Mamdani did not give a direct answer. On the parade route, he told The Post, “We’re all just focused on the parade.” He also answered carefully when pressed about seeing Espaillat on stage for a ceremony, saying, “It was good to see everybody on stage, good to see everyone out here.”

Espaillat also declined to engage when a reporter asked what it was like to see Mamdani again at the parade. He shook his head instead of answering, signaling that the tension between the two remains visible even at a community event meant for celebration.

The congressman was seen marching with Gov. Kathy Hochul, and the two appeared friendly during the festivities. Mamdani, by contrast, walked with his own group. Their separate paths at the parade underscored how little warmth there seemed to be between the mayor and the congressman, even as both took part in one of New York City’s most visible cultural events.