Key facts
- Kamala Harris privately called New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
- Harris has held meetings with pro-Palestine progressives and activists.
- The outreach aims to shore up support from party factions.
- Harris previously faced pushback from pro-Palestinian groups during her 2024 presidential run.
- Mamdani's endorsed candidates recently won New York Democratic primaries.
- Harris has hinted at a possible 2028 presidential bid.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris has been actively reaching out to key progressive figures, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and pro-Palestinian activists, according to reports from Axios and Fox News Digital. These efforts are seen as an attempt to consolidate support within the Democratic Party for a potential 2028 presidential bid.
The outreach includes a private phone call to Mamdani last week and several closed-door meetings with progressive groups. This comes after a slate of socialist-aligned candidates endorsed by Mamdani secured victories in New York Democratic primaries, replacing establishment figures. Harris also reportedly met with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a recent summit in Chicago.
Sources suggest Harris is seeking to mend fences with factions of the party, particularly pro-Palestinian groups, who had expressed opposition to her stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict during her 2024 presidential campaign. Mamdani's growing influence within the party, highlighted by his primary successes, makes him a significant figure for Harris to engage with.
Conservative critics have voiced disapproval of Harris's outreach to Mamdani and other progressive figures, characterizing them as "socialists and communists" and suggesting the Democratic Party is moving further left. Harris herself has previously hinted at a possible run for the presidency in 2028, responding to questions about her intentions with "I might. I might. I’m thinking about it… I’ll keep you posted."