WASHINGTON (AP) — As Democrats relish their Election Day victories, some are seizing on modern New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s victory and accusing party leaders of snubbing progressives. They warn that alienating the left could cost them crucial House seats they need to take control and counter President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Democrats gathered for a conference hosted by progressives scoffed at absent Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer, who excluded popular modern faces over disagreements on issues.
“I don’t think there’s anyone right now who knows what electable means better and who influences voters less than the Democratic establishment,” said Morris Katz, who ran Mamdani’s campaign. He was then asked if anyone minded that Schumer didn’t enter the New York City mayoral race.
“WHO?” Katz said, feigning familiarity with the leader’s influence, causing the audience to laugh.
The discussions and ridicule at the Crooked Con event, organized by a progressive media company founded by three former aides of President Barack Obama, come days after Democrats won the swing states of Georgia, Pennsylvania and Virginia, amid signs that key constituencies, including adolescent people, black voters and Hispanics, are turning away from Republicans. Other victories Tuesday included Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill, center-left Democrats who won gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey.
Some participants used the time to reflect on these victories and said they needed to redefine their vision to motivate voters to go to the polls.
Fear of progressives
“There’s just a lot of fear about progressive politics that is misunderstood,” said U.S. Rep. Yassamin Ansari, an Arizona Democrat. “But when it’s actually made clear to people, you’ll see that even on the right it’s more of a populist agenda that a lot of people actually get behind.”
Progressives and other elected Democrats, strategists, campaign managers and liberal commentators gathered Tuesday and agreed that focusing on affordability and rejecting Trump’s economic agenda was key to the party’s success Tuesday. Some praised Trump’s 2024 campaign for ideas like “no tax on tips” and said they could learn from Republicans to stand strongly behind their candidates. They urged Democrats not to overanalyze things and take risks.
Former President Barack Obama urged Democrats not to “impose litmus tests” as he discussed the various factions that won Tuesday. He launched his presidential run in 2007 with a progressive platform focused on health care and climate change.
“They are part of a vision for the future. Our job is to say we want everyone to be engaged, and we want to have a conversation about how we can ensure that every person in this country is treated with dignity and respect,” Obama said.
The leader of the Democratic Party speaks about the rise of Mamdani
Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin, who endorsed Mamdani last month, said he had no advice for Mamdani “other than to keep doing what he’s doing.”
“He inspired people all over New York,” Martin said, adding that he cheers him on and “makes sure we all contribute to his success.”
Schumer did not support Mamdani. Katz, Mamdani’s campaign manager, said there were private conversations between the two.
Mamdani’s comfortable victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary thrilled progressives but worried the party establishment. Some Democrats have criticized Mamdani for his stance on Israel. Mamdani, a longtime advocate for Palestinian rights, has accused Israel of genocide.
Party leaders, including Gov. Kathy Hochul and U.S. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, finally endorsed the self-described democratic socialist, months after he won the nomination.
Frustration with factions and labels
Some Democrats considered 2028 presidential contenders expressed frustration with discussion of the divisions facing the party, saying that voters aren’t particularly focused on that and that Republicans don’t really care.
U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego described it as an “internal pearl-grabbing” that doesn’t happen on the Republican side and said Democrats “don’t have to agree on everything.”
Gallego said regular voters don’t think that way.
“You think, ‘Will this person fight for me? Does this person understand what I’m going through? Do I trust them?'” he said. “Instead of trying to focus on this tribalism in our party, let’s figure out how to get these three things right.”
