(NEW YORK) — Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, met Wednesday with congressional Democrats in Washington as he continues his outreach to members of New York’s congressional delegation, some of whom still have not said whether they’ll endorse him.
Some of those members have pointed to concerns over his progressive policy proposals or how he has declined to criticize the pro-Palestinian phrase “Globalize the intifada,” although he himself has not used the phrase and has emphasized policies to combat antisemitism.
Most members leaving a breakfast meeting organized by key ally Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York at a Washington restaurant did not disclose what was discussed, although Rep. Luz Rivas, D-Calif., said the meeting was focused on strategizing after Mamdani’s stunning win in the primary and Rep. Lateefah Simon, D-Calif., a Muslim member of Congress, told ABC News that the meeting was focused on skills Mamdani could share and about his background.
“It was a ‘skill-share’ where he just talked about the way in which he’s embodied his experience as an organizer, as a local elected, but also like as a young Muslim man, born and raised in one of the most diasporic cities in the world, and as a Muslim elected, I was not only inspired by it, I learned a lot.”
When asked by ABC News if she thinks Mamdani is appealing to moderates, Simon said, “Listen, he’s winning,” and praised his ability to reach out to people across races and backgrounds.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., continues to hedge on whether he’ll endorse Mamdani but is set to meet with him in New York this week.
Ocasio-Cortez told reporters that members showed up in good faith even if they weren’t fully onboard with him.
Asked what she’d say to skeptics, including members of the New York delegation who haven’t endorsed Mamdani, Ocasio-Cortez responded, “Get to know him. You know, this is not about having any kind of hard line. I think that, if anybody is skeptical, I would say, get to know him. And once you get into a room with him, kick the tires yourself and make your own assessment, instead of just kind of making assessments from what you may see on television.”
Later, while leaving votes at the Capitol, Ocasio-Cortez said discussion around the phrase “Globalize the intifada” did not come up at the event.
Mamdani has faced questions about comments he made about the controversial phrase while speaking on a podcast hosted by “The Bulwark”, where he said he could see that and similar phrases being reflective of “standing up for Palestinian human rights” and that he did not want to discuss the “the permissibility of language.”
He has emphasized hearing and understanding different perspectives on the phrase, which some say is a call for nonviolent uprising by Palestinians against Israeli control; others see it as a call for violence against Israelis and/or Jews. Mamdani has not used the phrase himself.
He has also emphasized policies to protect Jews and to combat antisemitism in New York.
President Donald Trump has attacked the Democratic socialist as a “100% Communist Lunatic” and a “nutjob” and other Republicans have used him to depict Democrats as “radical socialists” and out of step with the country.
Asked by a reporter if she thinks the Democratic Party is moving in a more socialist direction, Rep. Debbie Dingell said, “It’s a question by the media to try to stigmatize the Democratic Party. Every member of Congress runs in a district that is unique, and we all can learn from each other.”
Dingell praised Mamdani as “bright” and praised his campaigning.
“Donald Trump and he both get out and they talk to people, and they listen to people, and they understand how people feel. And he’s using social media the way that Donald Trump has,” she said. “And you know what? All of us in life have different perspectives, different experiences … everybody can learn from — if we take the time to listen to each other, see what they’re doing. Learn. We can all learn.”
Some congressional Democrats said they still had doubts about Mamdani.
Rep. Tom Suozzi, whose New York district partially includes a swath of Queens, told reporters on Wednesday that he was still critical of how Mamdani’s policy proposals could mean higher taxes and that he has not decided if he’ll endorse a candidate in the general election for mayor.
Asked by ABC News if he had considered going to the breakfast hosted by Ocasio-Cortez, he said, “I have other things on my calendar.”
The meeting came two days after former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who conceded in the Democratic primary, said he would actively run an independent bid for mayor. Mamdani is also set to face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who is also running as an independent, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa and independent candidate Jim Walden.
After the meeting organized by Ocasio-Cortez, Mamdani went to Capitol Hill for a meeting with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a fellow democratic socialist who had endorsed Mamdani during the primary.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting as he prepared to catch a train back to New York, Mamdani said both the meeting with Democrats and the meeting with Sanders went well, and that he and the Democrats discussed “just the ways in which you want to unite the party.”
Asked if he’s winning over House Democrats who are skeptical about him, Mamdani said, “I think that we are continuing to grow our coalition.”Sanders said, “I think the issues that he’s campaigning on, the need to create a city that is affordable for working class people, is exactly what has to happen in New York.”
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