New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has held private discussions with left-leaning labor leaders as he works to build support for a progressive presidential contender ahead of the 2028 election, according to a report.
The Democratic Socialist, who is ineligible to become president because he was born in Uganda, hopes to harness the progressive movement’s momentum after the midterm elections and assemble a powerful bloc capable of challenging more moderate Democratic candidates, sources familiar with his plans told Axios.
“He wants the progressive ecosystem to mobilize quickly, strategically and efficiently if a moderate candidate is clearly on the rise,” one source who spoke with Mamdani told the outlet.
The source compared Mamdani’s approach with the role former President Barack Obama was seen as playing in uniting Democratic support behind former President Joe Biden over Sen. Bernie Sanders during the 2020 primary.
According to Axios, Mamdani’s organizing effort follows private remarks in which he acknowledged uncertainty over whether Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, his close political ally and one of the most prominent young progressives in Congress, will seek the presidency.
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As Ocasio-Cortez weighs her options, Mamdani met last month at Gracie Mansion with Jimmy Williams Jr., president of the influential International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, to discuss the 2028 race.
Mamdani asked Williams what would be necessary to win the union’s endorsement and whether the labor leader might consider launching his own presidential campaign, sources told Axios.
Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-C.W.A., has also met with Mamdani in recent weeks to discuss the 2028 presidential contest and other political issues.
The mayor is also expected to speak soon with Shawn Fain, president of the United Automobile Workers.
