New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has quietly begun looking for a staunchly left-wing contender who could seek the White House in 2028, according to a new report.
People familiar with the mayor’s plans told Axios that Mamdani is attempting to harness the Democratic momentum generated by last week’s midterm results. His reported goal is to help elevate a progressive candidate capable of challenging more centrist Democrats in the next presidential contest.
Mamdani is barred from running for president himself because he was born in Uganda and is not a natural-born US citizen.
The Democratic socialist has reportedly held private discussions with labor leaders, arguing that the 2028 race needs a candidate closely aligned with both the progressive movement and organized labor.
His effort is partly driven by uncertainty over whether his political ally, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, will seek the presidency, sources said.
According to the report, Mamdani worries that if Ocasio-Cortez declines to run, Democrats on the far left could enter the primary without a clear standard-bearer.
Sources said Mamdani wants “the progressive ecosystem to mobilize quickly, strategically and efficiently if a moderate candidate is clearly on the rise.” They compared the reported strategy with the way former President Barack Obama appeared to help Joe Biden consolidate support against Senator Bernie Sanders during the 2020 Democratic primary.
As part of that outreach, Mamdani has met with Jimmy Williams Jr., president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, or IUPAT, sources said.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is reportedly searching for a hard-left candidate to run for president in 2028
Sources said Mamdani’s effort reflects uncertainty over whether his political ally, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, will pursue a presidential campaign. (Pictured: New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani on November 1)
The mayor hosted Williams at Gracie Mansion last month for a conversation about possible 2028 presidential contenders, the report said.
During the meeting, Mamdani asked Williams—which he has led since September 2021—which potential candidates he supported and whether he might ever consider seeking elected office himself, according to sources.
Mamdani also reportedly asked what would be required for Williams’ union to endorse a candidate.
Axios reported that Mamdani has held a similar discussion with Sara Nelson, another prominent labor leader, about the 2028 election and other political issues.
Nelson serves as president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.
Sources also said Mamdani is expected to speak soon with Shawn Fain, president of the United Automobile Workers union.
The reported search comes as progressive activists and lawmakers express concern that the next presidential contest could lack a strong left-wing candidate.
Ocasio-Cortez has said she is weighing a potential presidential bid, although she is currently more inclined to run for the Senate in 2028.
Sources said Mamdani has met with Jimmy Williams Jr., president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
Axios reported that union leader Sara Nelson (left) has also spoken with Mamdani about the 2028 race and other matters. Mamdani is expected to meet with United Automobile Workers President Shawn Fain (right) as well, sources said
Williams told Axios that he is “absolutely supportive” of labor movement figures seeking public office, but said he has no interest in running himself.
“We put a freaking ironworker in Congress. We put an IUPAT member in the Senate,” he said.
Williams was referring to Brian Poindexter, who won election to the US House representing Ohio’s 7th Congressional District, and Troy Jackson, an IUPAT member elected to the Senate in Maine during the recent midterms.
In 2025, Williams said he was “proud that my union was among the first to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.”
Fain has also frequently criticized billionaires and appeared alongside Senator Sanders during his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour.
Nelson, meanwhile, has advocated against concentrated wealth and promoted economic equality, among other progressive causes.
The Daily Mail contacted Mamdani, Williams, Nelson and Fain for comment.