Mamdani Seeks Progressive Candidate as 2028 Field Stays Unset

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is positioning himself as a key figure in the 2028 Democratic presidential race, despite being ineligible to run for the office himself. The socialist mayor, who is not a natural-born U.S. citizen, is using his influence to shape the field of potential nominees.

Mamdani has been holding private meetings with labor leaders to argue that the party needs a union-aligned or left-wing candidate. His efforts come as he expresses uncertainty about whether Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, a close ally, will enter the race.

According to reports first made by Axios, Mamdani fears that Ocasio-Cortez's absence could leave progressives without a strong candidate to challenge a likely centrist frontrunner. The mayor believes the party must act quickly to preserve the momentum gained from last week's midterm elections, in which Democrats secured a large House majority and control of the Senate.

A source familiar with Mamdani's discussions told Axios that the mayor wants the progressive base to mobilize strategically if a moderate candidate begins to gain traction. He views the recent electoral victory as a moment that cannot be wasted on internal division.

Ocasio-Cortez, who was re-elected to a fifth term in the House last week, is currently downplaying speculation about her own future. She told reporters on Monday night that voters are more interested in the legislative agenda than in the next presidential election cycle.

"The last thing that people want to hear from me or any other politician here is about the next election," Ocasio-Cortez said. She emphasized that the focus should be on investigations and legislation resulting from the midterm results.

Her comments came shortly after the launch of Ready for AOC, a political group dedicated to encouraging her to run for president in 2028. The organization describes itself as a people-powered movement with no formal campaign or funding, seeking to demonstrate broad support for a presidential bid.

Veteran Democratic strategist David Plouffe suggested that the race is wide open. Speaking at a Harvard University forum, Plouffe estimated that Ocasio-Cortez would start with 20 to 25 percent support if she runs. He also noted that Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan, the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate, might consider a run if the field remains open.

Ocasio-Cortez said in September that she is weighing a presidential bid against a run for the Senate seat currently held by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Schumer, who turns 76 this month, has not yet decided whether to seek a sixth term. Rep. Ro Khanna of California is also considering a presidential run, with allies launching a draft committee called Run Ro to build support.