Obama calls Zohran Mamdani and offers his support if he wins the mayoralty of New York
Two days before the New York municipal election, the favorite Zohran Mamdani received an unexpected call: that of Barack Obama. According to the New York Timeslater confirmed by Reuters, the former Democratic president welcomed the state deputy’s campaign and offered to be a “sounding board”, in other words a listening ear, if he won the election. Obama praised Mamdani for the way he ran his campaign against his two main opponents: former Governor Andrew Cuomo, an independent candidate, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. “Zohran Mamdani appreciated President Obama’s words of support and their exchange on the importance of bringing a new form of politics to our city,” said his spokesperson Dora Pekec.
Originally from Uganda, of Muslim faith, and a rising figure in the democratic socialist movement, Zohran Mamdani is widening the gap in the polls, given 40% of voting intentions against 34% for Cuomo and 24% for Sliwa. His program, focused on social justice – increasing taxes for the richest, freezing stabilized rents, strengthening public housing – worries certain financial circles but appeals to a young and popular electorate. Zohran Mamdani has also become known for his support for the Palestiniane and his denunciation of American support for Israeli policies. Courageous positions which earned him both the respect of part of the progressive left and the attacks of his adversaries, particularly Republicans.
His electoral breakthrough, supported in particular by Kamala Harris and Governor Kathy Hochul, illustrates a shift to the left within the Democratic Party. But it also raises tensions: his criticism of Israel could be exploited by Republicans on the national scene. Saturday evening, the candidate continued to pound the streets in New York bars and clubs, microphone in hand: “Are we ready to beat Andrew Cuomo?”, he called out, to cheers.
The symbol of a generational and moral turning point
The dynamic around Zohran Mamdani goes beyond the simple municipal race: it embodies a political and moral shift in the United States. Son of African intellectuals, an avowed Muslim and in solidarity with the Palestinian cause, Mamdani represents this new generation of political leaders from the margins who challenge the compromises of the traditional Democratic Party. By receiving Obama’s support, he crossed a symbolic threshold: the former president is reaching out to a left that he had long kept at arm’s length. This rapprochement testifies to an evolution in the American debate, where social justice, international solidarity and criticism of the status quo – particularly on the Palestinian question – are finally gaining legitimacy in the public space.
