Obama, Mamdani speak as Election Day approaches in New York Metropolis mayor’s race

New York — With simply days to go earlier than polls shut in New York Metropolis’s fractious race for mayor, frontrunner Zohran Mamdani spoke Saturday with former President Barack Obama, whilst some main Democrats have taken a cautious political method in terms of the democratic socialist. 

A supply acquainted confirmed their name, first reported by the New York Occasions. In a press release to CBS Information, a spokeswoman for Mamdani’s marketing campaign mentioned the candidate “appreciated President Obama’s phrases of assist and their dialog on the significance of bringing a brand new sort of politics to our metropolis.”

Mamdani’s win in June over former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a crowded mayoral Democratic main was arguably essentially the most important progressive main victory since now-Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated a Democratic incumbent congressman in 2018. The win by Mamdani upended Democratic social gathering politics in a 12 months the place the nationwide social gathering has struggled to restore its model points after a disastrous 2024 election cycle. 

Whereas Mamdani’s success up to now has introduced the 34-year-old politician reward, it has additionally led to extra centered criticism for his report, or lack thereof. 

Even after Mamdani’s summer season main win, some nationwide Democrats have both been sluggish to publicly embrace him, or have prevented doing so altogether. 

In Tuesday’s basic election contest, Mamdani is dealing with off towards Cuomo, now working as an impartial, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Democratic Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries waited till Oct. 24, the eve of early voting, to endorse Mamdani. In the meantime, Democratic Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, chair of the Democratic Senatorial Marketing campaign Committee, haven’t endorsed within the race. 

At a rally final week with Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Mamdani mentioned his opponents, Cuomo and Sliwa, possess “the playbook of the previous.” 

“New York, our work has solely simply begun,” Mamdani mentioned because the rally ended. “On [Tuesday] November 4th we set ourselves free.” 

And in these remaining days of the competition, Democrats aren’t the one ones making political choices that do not observe regular social gathering strains. 

In an interview earlier this week with CBS Information, Republican Rep. Nick Langworthy of New York, a former state GOP chair, mentioned of Cuomo that “nobody was a fiercer critic of his time as governor than I used to be.”

“We fought him tooth and nail each step of the way in which,” mentioned Langworthy, who’s supporting Cuomo for mayor. “However he can be a far superior selection for the individuals of New York than Zohran Mamdani.”

Langworthy additionally expressed concern in regards to the implications of a Mamdani victory, saying Mamdani’s insurance policies would change into “contagious across the nation if he has a platform to speak to huge sums of individuals.”

The nationwide impression of the race is not misplaced on both main social gathering given what a Mamdani victory might imply for management of the U.S. Home within the 2026 midterms, the place Republicans are trying to defend a slim majority. Whichever social gathering holds the Home will possible play a significant position in how Washington capabilities within the remaining two years of President Trump’s time period. 

Average Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi of New York backed Cuomo late final month, saying in a social media put up, “I am a Democratic Capitalist, not a Democratic Socialist. I endorse Andrew Cuomo. I cannot again a declared socialist with a skinny resume to run essentially the most complicated metropolis in America.”

As Democrats proceed to face questions on how the social gathering can recuperate and win again voters, Mamdani’s run for mayor might present a telling information of kinds for the sort of genuine messaging and grassroots campaigning that the left has struggled to domesticate on a nationwide stage outdoors of Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential runs. 

Talking on the late October Mamdani rally, Sanders mentioned “a victory right here in New York will give hope and inspiration to individuals all through our nation and all through the world.” 

“That’s what this election is about. And that’s the reason Donald Trump is listening to this election,” Sanders mentioned.