Obama calls NYC mayoral frontrunner Mamdani just days before crucial election

Three days ahead of the New York City mayoral election, former President Barack Obama called frontrunner Zohran Mamdani to offer his support.

The 64-year-old Democrat offered to be a “sounding board” to Mamdani, a Democratic socialist who continues to lead the race in polling.

“Zohran Mamdani appreciated President Obama’s words of support and their conversation on the importance of bringing a new kind of politics to our city,” Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec told Fox News Digital.

Mamdani’s main opponents are former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an Independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

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Sliwa’s campaign told Fox News Digital they had no comment on the call.

Cuomo lost to Mamdani in the Democratic primary last summer.

The phone call between Mamdani and Obama came the same day Obama was also campaigning in Virginia for Abigail Spanberger and in New Jersey for Mikie Sherrill. Both Democrats are in close gubernatorial races in their respective states. 

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Both women are Democratic gubernatorial candidates.

“Your campaign has been impressive to watch,” Obama told Mamdani in the 30-minute private conversation, according to The New York Times who cited two people familiar with the conversation.

Obama hasn’t endorsed Mamdani officially following a vow to not interfere in municipal races, the newspaper reported, adding that it was the second call between the two men since the Democratic primary.

Obama spoke to Mamdani as some establishment Democrats, such as New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, have kept their distance from the progressive leader.