Vice President Kamala Harris has begun cultivating a closer relationship with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, signaling a new effort to strengthen ties with one of the Democratic Party’s most influential progressive figures as early maneuvering for the 2028 presidential race quietly takes shape.

According to Axios, Harris and Mamdani held a lengthy private phone conversation last week centered on the future direction of the Democratic Party. The discussion is expected to be the first of several conversations between the two.

“This is about positioning for the 2028 primary where no candidate knows where the lane for support for Palestinian rights is going to be but they know there’s going to be one,” Republican consultant Mike Madrid told The California Post.

“No question this is a risky move but it’s one transforming both parties and the calculus at the moment has become it’s better to do something than nothing,” he added.

The call came shortly after candidates endorsed by Mamdani and aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America claimed victories in three New York congressional primaries, defeating two sitting members of Congress and underscoring the mayor’s expanding political clout.

A source familiar with the conversation told The Post that Harris initiated the outreach as part of an effort to reshape her image following her 2024 presidential defeat and connect more effectively with younger Democratic voters. During the conversation, she also congratulated Mamdani on the success of his endorsed candidates in New York City.

“The vice president reached out to have a conversation, and we’ve had a brief conversation,” Mamdani told SiriusXM’s “The Clay Cane Show” Wednesday. “We’ve been in touch over the last few months, and I really do appreciate her outreach.”

Political strategist Matt Klink told The Post that Harris’ decision reflects long-term planning ahead of the next presidential primary season.

“The 2024 loss made clear that the activist left, if not energized, has enough leverage to sink a Democratic nominee, and she would rather have those people knocking doors than burning down her campaign before it starts,” he said.

Harris’ recent outreach is part of a broader effort to reconnect with the Democratic Party’s progressive base, particularly activists who sharply criticized the Biden administration’s support for Israel during the war in Gaza.

During New York City’s mayoral race, Harris avoided endorsing a candidate before the Democratic primary. After Mamdani secured the nomination, she offered cautious support during an MSNBC interview, saying, “I support the Democrat in the race, sure,” without mentioning him by name.

“Harris is ‘kissing the ring’ in her Mamdani outreach, as the mayor is the most high-profile DSA leader in America. Mamdani’s primary wins proved the DSA machine can deliver election results outside Brooklyn,” Klink added. “Harris read that scoreboard faster than most: the activists have the passion, the money, and the primary voters, and she wants all three.”

Over recent months, Harris has also quietly met with progressive organizers, including individuals connected to the pro-Palestinian Uncommitted Movement, as well as longtime Democratic National Committee member James Zogby and Michigan Democrat Abbas Alawieh.

Alawieh said Harris personally requested the meeting after months of private discussions. During their conversation, he urged her to oppose the use of American taxpayer dollars in ways that harm civilians or destroy communities.

He also shared stories from constituents who lost family members in Israeli airstrikes carried out with U.S. military support.

The renewed engagement represents a noticeable shift for Harris. During the 2024 campaign, she struggled to gain the support of many Arab American and progressive voters after declining to significantly break from President Joe Biden’s strong backing of Israel during the Gaza conflict.

The outreach comes as Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates continue making gains in elections around the country.

In New York City, several DSA-backed challengers recently defeated longtime Democratic incumbents in congressional primaries, including Reps. Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat.

Elsewhere, Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman is challenging incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, while DSA member Janeese Lewis George captured the Democratic mayoral nomination in Washington, D.C.

In Colorado, first-time candidate Melat Kiros appears on track to become the first Generation Z woman elected to Congress after defeating 15-term Rep. Diana DeGette in the Democratic primary, according to a race projection.

Klink even suggested that the possibility of a future Harris-Mamdani national ticket should not be dismissed entirely.

“Palestinian/anti-Israeli activists this early in the 2028 cycle is an acknowledgment that the DSA wing sets the price of admission for a Democrat presidential primary,” he told The Post.

However, Mamdani cannot serve as vice president under the U.S. Constitution. Born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian-born parents and naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2018, he does not meet the constitutional requirement that both the president and vice president be natural-born citizens.

Although that prevents him from serving on a presidential ticket, it does not bar him from pursuing other elected offices.

Madrid, who has worked on presidential campaigns, said Harris’ evolving strategy reflects both demographic changes and growing ideological divisions within the Democratic Party.

“Harris’ shift is a sign of just how much has changed, and how quickly, in the Democratic Party on the issue of Palestine and Israel,” he said.

“There’s definitely an emerging split in the party that’s very reminiscent of the Tea Party extremism that consumed the GOP a decade ago,” he said, noting that despite recent DSA gains, “for every DSA win, there’s a [James] Talarico and [Xavier] Becerra win.”

Despite her 2024 defeat, Harris remains the early frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination. A national Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll released last month found that 27 percent of Democratic voters favored Harris for the party’s 2028 nomination, nearly twice the support of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who received 14 percent.

While her polling numbers have slipped from earlier highs, Harris continues to lead a large field of potential Democratic contenders.

Other Democrats considering White House bids have also adjusted their rhetoric on Israel as debate within the party intensifies.

Newsom, who is openly considering a presidential campaign after completing his final term as governor, briefly referred to Israel as an “apartheid state” earlier this year before later saying he regretted that characterization. He reaffirmed his support for Israel while directing his criticism toward Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu rather than the Israeli state.

Other Democrats frequently mentioned as possible 2028 presidential candidates include Pete Buttigieg, Govs. Josh Shapiro, Andy Beshear, J.B. Pritzker, and others.

“Every serious 2028 Democrat presidential contender is watching Harris and taking notes. The candidate who figures out how to embrace the activist energy without getting photographed at the wrong rally will have a real advantage in what will be a crowded Democrat primary,” Klink added.

Mamdani has become one of the country’s most outspoken critics of Israel, repeatedly accusing the Jewish state of apartheid and genocide while remaining a vocal supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. At the same time, he has gradually developed stronger relationships with leaders in the Democratic establishment, including Harris.

Not everyone believes Harris’ strategy will pay off.

“Chasing the activist left, in this case the socialist wing, to gai momentum and to win a primary is a time-honored Democratic tradition that consistently creates general election problems,” Klink said. “Harris is gambling that she can consolidate the base early, capture and bottle their enthusiasm, and then, if successful, pivot to the center later.”

“It’s a flawed strategy with a notably poor track record,” he added.

{Matzav.com}