New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has been privately meeting with left-leaning labor union leaders and pushing for a progressive candidate to make a run for the White House in 2028, according to a report.
The democratic socialist, who can never be president himself having been born in Uganda, wants to capitalize on progressivesâ momentum after the midterm elections and organize a far-left bloc to fight against moderate Democrat candidates, sources close to the mayor told Axios.
Hizzoner “wants the progressive ecosystem to mobilize quickly, strategically and efficiently if a moderate candidate is clearly on the rise,” one source who spoke directly with Mamdani told the outlet.
The source likened the strategy to how former President Obama appeared to use his influence to consolidate support for former President Joe Biden against Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2020.
Mamdani’s scramble also comes as he reportedly admitted in private that heâs not convinced that Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, the leading young progressive voice on Capitol Hill and his close political ally, will make a bid for the White House, according to Axios.
While the New York congresswoman’s decision remains up in the air, Mamdani hosted Jimmy Williams Jr., president of the powerful International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, at Gracie Mansion last month to discuss prospects for 2028.
The mayor asked Williams what it would take to secure an endorsement from his union and whether he would consider running for the White House himself, sources told Axios.
Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-C.W.A., has also recently met with Mamdani to discuss the upcoming presidential election among other issues.
Mamdani additionally plans to talk soon with Shawn Fain, president of the United Automobile Workers.
The trio is considered among the most progressive labor leaders in the country.
Mamdani has amassed substantial political capital after his stunning upset over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo last year, which thrust him and his controversial leftist agenda onto the national stage.
He is now widely viewed as the âkingmakerâ for the progressive branch of the Democratic party and has already shown a willingness to wield that power.
Mamdani threw his weight behind several congressional candidates who will be heading to Washington after last weekâs elections, including democratic socialists Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, as well as former mayoral candidate Brad Lander.
With Ocasio-Cortez rumored to be considering a run for Senate rather than the presidency, Mamdaniâs been exploring other potential candidates â perhaps a laborer â to carry his progressive platform to the White House.
“Progressive ideas only win when working-class voters see themselves in the fight,” Mamdani told Axios. “There’s no better way to do that than to run an actual worker for president, not a professional politician.”
