Kamala Harris Courts Mamdani To Shore Up Support For Potential 2028 Run

Former Vice President Kamala Harris is courting New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other prominent left-wing figures as she lays the groundwork for a possible 2028 presidential campaign, according to a new report.

Axios reported Wednesday that Harris privately called Mamdani last week to discuss the future of the Democratic Party and plans to continue the conversation in future meetings.

The call came just days after several democratic socialist candidates backed by Mamdani defeated incumbent Democrats in New York City congressional primaries, further cementing the mayor’s growing influence on the party’s left flank.

The outreach is part of a broader effort by Harris to repair and strengthen ties with far-left Democrats who were often skeptical of her during the 2024 presidential campaign. Harris has also held private meetings with progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), as well as pro-Palestinian activists who sharply criticized the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Among those Harris has met with is Abbas Alawieh, a co-founder of the Uncommitted Movement, a campaign that emerged during the 2024 Democratic primary to protest President Joe Biden’s support for Israel. Alawieh added that Harris initiated months of private conversations before requesting a recent meeting in Detroit, where he reiterated his opposition to U.S. taxpayer dollars being used “to target civilians or destroy entire communities.”

During the 2024 campaign, the Uncommitted Movement unsuccessfully pushed Harris to allow a Palestinian American to address the Democratic National Convention. Many activists ultimately declined to endorse her after concluding she had not broken sufficiently with Biden’s Middle East policy.

The renewed outreach signals Harris is attempting to rebuild relationships with a bloc of Democratic voters expected to wield significant influence in a crowded 2028 presidential primary.

The former vice president also recently spoke with longtime Democratic National Committee member James Zogby, an advocate for Palestinian rights, according to people familiar with the conversations.

Harris has also reportedly been discussing broader policy issues — including China, artificial intelligence, and Venezuela — with former aides and Democratic officials as speculation continues over whether she will seek the presidency again.

The outreach to Mamdani comes as the New York mayor has rapidly become one of the Democratic Party’s most influential leaders. His endorsements helped propel several democratic socialist candidates to primary victories in recent months, underscoring the growing organizational strength of the party’s left wing.

Mamdani confirmed he had spoken with Harris. “The vice president reached out to have a conversation, and we’ve had a brief conversation,” he said Wednesday on SiriusXM. “We’ve been in touch over the last few months, and I really do appreciate her outreach.”

The former vice president has offered some of her clearest signals yet that she is considering another White House bid. Earlier this year, when asked whether she planned to run in 2028, Harris responded, “I might. I’m thinking about it … I’ll keep you posted.”

While Harris remains an early front-runner in many Democratic primary polls, she continues to face questions from multiple factions within her party after her 2024 defeat to President Donald Trump.

Her latest outreach suggests that winning back the skeptical left-wing, particularly activists who opposed the Biden administration’s Israel policy, could become a central part of any future presidential campaign.