According to Axios, Mamdani wants progressives to build on their recent midterm election momentum and avoid losing political ground by failing to coordinate ahead of the next presidential election.
The report, says Mamdani has told allies that he is uncertain whether his close political partner, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, will enter the 2028 presidential race. If she decides against running, progressives could struggle to find a strong candidate capable of challenging the Democratic Party’s centrist establishment.
A source familiar with discussions said Mamdani wants to coordinate with progressive leaders to ensure they can unite behind a candidate if a leading moderate begins gaining momentum. The source compared the strategy to former President Barack Obama’s reported role in helping Joe Biden consolidate support against Bernie Sanders during the 2020 Democratic primaries.
Mamdani Meets Labour Leaders
Mamdani has already begun consulting influential figures in the labour movement about the next presidential election.
Last month, he invited Jimmy Williams Jr., president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, to Gracie Mansion for a discussion about the 2028 race.
According to Axios, Mamdani asked Williams about his preferred presidential candidates, the union’s endorsement process and whether he had considered running for elected office.
Williams ruled out a personal political bid but expressed strong support for working-class candidates entering politics.
“We put a freaking ironworker in Congress. We put an IUPAT member in the Senate,” Williams told Axios.
Mamdani has also met with Association of Flight Attendants-CWA President Sara Nelson to discuss the 2028 election and other issues. He is expected to meet soon with United Automobile Workers President Shawn Fain.
Spokespersons for Mamdani, Fain and Nelson did not comment on the reported discussions.
AOC’s Decision Could Reshape the Race
Uncertainty surrounding Ocasio-Cortez’s political ambitions remains a major concern for progressive Democrats.
Many believe she may prefer to pursue a Senate seat in 2028, although she has publicly said she is considering both a presidential campaign and a Senate bid.
Mamdani has avoided publicly pressuring her to run. Asked by WNYC last month whether he wanted her to enter the presidential race, he said: “I want to see AOC do whatever it is that AOC wants to do.”
He also described her as “an inspiration.”
Meanwhile, other progressive figures are emerging as possible alternatives. Some activists hope Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan’s incoming senator, will consider a presidential campaign, while California Representative Ro Khanna is widely expected to enter the race.
Bhaskar Sunkara, president of The Nation and a former Bernie Sanders supporter, has also promoted the idea of a presidential candidate drawn directly from the labour movement.
“Progressive ideas only win when working-class voters see themselves in the fight,” Sunkara wrote. “There’s no better way to do that than to run an actual worker for president, not a professional politician.”
Labour Movement Emerges as a Possible Force
Fain, Nelson and Williams are regarded as influential progressive voices within organised labour. Fain has frequently criticised billionaires, while Nelson participated in Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” tour.
Williams has also publicly supported Palestinian rights, writing in 2025 that he was proud his union had been among the first to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Some progressive activists have encouraged Fain to consider a presidential campaign. His union also played a role in helping El-Sayed secure his election victory in Michigan. However, Fain told the Detroit News last month that he had “no plans” to run.
Mamdani’s efforts come as progressive Democrats debate how to translate their recent electoral successes into influence over the party’s future leadership.
Although Democrats across the political spectrum made gains in the midterm elections, the results have not necessarily strengthened the argument for a left-wing presidential candidate over a more centrist contender.
For Mamdani, the immediate challenge is to ensure that progressive voters, labour unions and political leaders are organised early enough to influence the 2028 Democratic nomination process.
