Zohran Mamdani just became New York City’s mayor-elect, and he’s already working the phones like a veteran power broker who can’t wait to flex his new clout. His rise was swift, his victory decisive, and his appetite for influence seems even bigger than the job he just won. New Yorkers thought they were electing someone to run the city, but Mamdani is behaving like a man eyeing a much larger stage.
Before he’s even been sworn in, he’s positioning himself as the face of Democrat resistance in the Trump era, dialing up big-name Democrats and sounding more like an aspiring national strategist than a mayor-in-waiting. The question practically asks itself: Is he preparing to govern New York City, or is he gearing up to lead the anti-Trump resistance and elevate his own standing inside a fractured Democratic Party?
According to a report from Axios, since his election, Mamdani has been reaching out to Democratic governors across the country, and the conversations reveal a telling pattern. He spoke with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on election night. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro had a conversation with him before last week's election. On Thursday, Mamdani sat down with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for 90 minutes, discussing "ongoing attacks from Washington Republicans on New York and how best to protect New Yorkers amid escalating federal threats."
Some observers might see these conversations as a new mayor seeking advice from experienced Democrats across the ideological spectrum. But look closer at who Mamdani is calling. Three of these governors are potential 2028 presidential candidates. Call me crazy, but Mamdani seems to recognize the growing influence he has in the Democratic Party and isn’t wasting any time exploiting that power. I dare say he appears to be positioning himself as a key influencer in the Democratic Party.
When Mamdani talked with Pritzker, they discussed how to approach Trump, Pritzker's experience with the president's effort to send troops into Chicago, and how to prepare should a similar incursion happen in New York City. Trump has claimed Democratic-run cities, such as New York and Chicago, are in "bad shape," and has threatened to "straighten them out, one by one."
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During his election night call with Moore, Mamdani applauded Moore's work cutting red tape and discussed innovations in government. Like a socialist has ever wanted to cut red tape. Come on. They also talked about how to stand up to Trump. Moore has previously praised Mamdani's campaign narrative around affordability, saying it mirrors parts of his own agenda in Maryland.
Moore recently announced the release of $62 million to ensure full November SNAP benefits for Marylanders and singled Trump and his administration out for leaving residents in the cold. "But no state can fill the enormous gap created by Donald Trump and his administration," Moore said in a statement.
Perhaps most revealing was Mamdani's conversation with Shapiro. Shapiro, who is Jewish, had been critical of how Mamdani dealt with extremism during his campaign, but said they'd cleared the air — a sign that Shapiro thinks he needs to be on Mamdani's good side for the sake of his own political future.
"Mamdani called me, and we had a very lengthy conversation, and I was very direct with him about how hurtful some of the words were that he used or that he allowed to be used around him," Shapiro said. "He explained to me his perspective, which I thought was helpful for me to hear, and on some things, we agreed to disagree."
Shapiro had criticized Mamdani's campaign in July, saying it left "far too much space for extremists." Campaign sources familiar with the discussion said Shapiro and Mamdani also talked about the importance of permitting reform and reconstructing Interstate 87, a major national thoroughfare that runs through New York.
Mamdani has said he plans to keep working the phones. He's clearly building influence in the party, and Democrats are lining up to be associated with him. Hochul previously endorsed his campaign, which he did not reciprocate, which reflects that Mamdani has more political capital than the sitting governor of New York. He is potentially positioning himself as a Democrat kingmaker, which will move the party further to the radical left at an even faster pace.
Mamdani isn't connecting with these Democrat leaders to learn from them. He's asserting his primacy over existing Democrat leadership in the wake of his easy victory in the Big Apple. If you think he’s just New York City’s problem, you’re sorely mistaken.
