Zohran Mamdani said he wants to “introduce himself once more” to New Yorkers – and now his calendar is full of meetings with VIPs.
House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer are on the list of those planning a sit-down. So is Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who was widely criticized last week for misrepresenting Mamdani and falsely saying he used the term “global jihad” on the campaign trail.
The business community has also been calling. The 33-year-old democratic socialist – who has criticized the rise of billionaires amid gaping income inequality – is set to convene this month with a group of CEOs.
“The fact that Zohran handily won the primary certainly surprised most of them,” said Kathy Wylde, the head of the Partnership for New York City, an influential business advocacy group.
“The meetings that we are setting up are really to give them an opportunity to ask him questions.”
Some business leaders are also setting up separate meetings with Mamdani, Wylde said.
Meanwhile, the Democratic mayoral nominee wasted little time consolidating support from unions, including the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and 32BJ. They switched their allegiance from Andrew Cuomo days after the primary ended. Union members held a rally with Mamdani on Wednesday morning.
The developments come as Mamdani tries to make good on his victory speech promise to reach out to constituencies that may not have supported him during the primary.
“I cannot promise that you will always agree with me but I will never hide from you,” Mamdani said.
Bradley Tusk, a political consultant whose firm Tusk Strategies helped Cuomo’s campaign, wrote in the New York Daily News that Mamdani “is a smart politician and will likely pivot intelligently. He’ll create a big tent and reach out to people who were not with him in the primary.”
Over the weekend, Mamdani made his first official general election campaign stop at the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network Harlem headquarters. Joined by filmmaker Spike Lee, he delivered a speech that focused on economic justice. Afterward, he met for roughly an hour with Black clergy leaders in what Sharpton called a “frank and candid conversation.”
Although top Democrats have yet to make official endorsements, the results of Tuesday’s ranked-choice tabulation made them feel increasingly inevitable. Mamdani won 56% of the vote, a commanding victory that expanded the electorate with younger and first-time voters.
On Sunday, Mamdani met with Gov. Kathy Hochul, whose support he will need to accomplish much of his agenda.
Hochul said she and Mamdani had an “extremely productive conservation” but they still disagree about his call to fund his program expansions with taxes on the rich. “ We have strong interests that are aligned on affordability. He has complimented my laser focus on helping New Yorkers who are struggling,” Hochul said.
Mamdani also met with U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, a Bronx Democrat who has been a staunch defender of Israel. Torres endorsed Cuomo but said he believed Mamdani’s election in November was “likely.”
"I think we have profound differences of opinion,” Torres said on CNN. “The mayor needs the New York City congressional delegation, the New York City congressional delegation needs the mayor. And so, it’s in the interest of both sides to have a working relationship, to figure out how to coexist.
Jimmy Vielkind contributed reporting.
Ballot Box
This week, we’re wondering: Do you support Mamdani’s call to raise taxes on the wealthy to improve affordability in New York City?
Last week, we asked: What does Zohran Mamdani's Democratic primary win mean to you?
Here's what some of you said:
“It's incredibly inspiring. Like Andy Kim in New Jersey, Zohran showed that super-smart, well-articulated and inspiring politics WILL bring in enthusiastic new Democratic voters.”
- Julie, Brooklyn
“It makes me feel hope again. I was starting to feel like no politician would ever listen to us and it would be the same song and dance of Democrats moving to the right and killing progressive candidates but this shows we can and will do it. The rest of the establishment Dems should be put on notice this is what WE the voting people want. They shouldn't care what Republicans think.”
- Kayla, Manhattan
“An opportunity for new ideas. Better cooperation/communication between the City Council and the mayor.”
- Lynne, Brooklyn
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7 headlines
(1) President Donald Trump questioned Zohran Mamdani’s citizenship after Mamdani officially secured the Democratic nomination yesterday. Here’s what else Trump said.
(2) New York City is allocating nearly $14 million toward gender-affirming care and other critical housing and employment resources for its LGBTQ community in its new budget. Here’s what else is included.
(4) Immigrants rights advocates are frustrated over New York Democrats' 'lack of political courage.' Here’s why.
(5) NYC is launching a free child care pilot for children ages 2 and under as part of a $116 billion budget deal. Here are the details.
(6) Andrew Cuomo may not have won the Democratic nomination for NYC mayor, but he will still be on the ballot in November. Can he overcome his campaign’s missteps?
(7) Listen: Brian Lehrer spoke with New York Times reporter Patrick McGeehan about Gov. Hochul's plan for a new nuclear plant upstate. Listen here.
