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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
ARTICLE VIEW:
Zohran Mamdani looks to consolidate support as he rallies with Bernie
Sanders
By Kaanita Iyer, David Wright, CNN
Updated:
8:40 PM EDT, Sat September 6, 2025
Source: CNN
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City,
joined progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders for a town hall on Saturday in
Brooklyn, where he directly criticized President Donald Trump’s
involvement in the mayoral race.
“It’s not doing to be Donald Trump, it’s not going to be
(billionaire donor) Bill Ackman, it’s not going to be DoorDash. We
will choose our own mayor,” Mamdani told a sea of supporters at
Brooklyn College.
The event, part of Sanders’ “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, comes as
Mamdani works to consolidate the support of New York City Democrats,
with divisions lingering in the wake of his in the June primary.
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo — whom Mamdani defeated in the
nominating contest — is forging ahead with an independent bid, while
incumbent Mayor Eric Adams is seeking reelection also on a third-party
line, having fallen out with his former party.
The dueling bids complicate the path forward for Mamdani, whose primary
victory in the heavily Democratic city would normally provide a glide
path to the mayor’s office.
Mamdani’s opponents, meanwhile, are engaged in their own campaign to
coalesce behind an alternative. This week, Adams with President Donald
Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss potential
opportunities to join the Trump administration, including an
ambassadorship, part of an effort to set up a match between Mamdani and
Cuomo in the general election.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he believed the
mayoral race against Mamdani could not be won if there were multiple
candidates in the running. He denied offering Adams an ambassadorship
but said he believed Cuomo would have a better shot at beating Mamdani,
whom he referred to as a “communist.”
“He is free to do what he wants,” Trump said of Adams. “If it’s
not one-on-one, it’s going to be a hard race.”
Mamdani sought to closely tie Cuomo with Trump, telling supporters
Saturday that the former governor, if elected, would not fight back if
the president deploys the National Guard to New York City.
Mamdani quipped, “Why would he fight back when it’s Donald Trump
that’s trying to get him elected right now?”
Sanders: Mamdani’s campaign is a ‘test case’ for democracy
During the town hall, Mamdani credited Sanders’ 2016 and 2020
presidential campaigns for inspiring his political career.
“It was Bernie’s campaign for the presidency in 2016 that gave me
the language of democratic socialism to describe my politics,”
Mamdani said. He added that when he ran for State Assembly years later,
“We continued to look to him and his (2020) campaign and his vision
as the compass for the work we wanted to do in electoral politics.”
Sanders, who turns 84 on Monday, has worked to lift up younger
progressive leaders such as Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
who have cited him as influences. Mamdani at one point led the crowd
“Happy Birthday” to Sanders.
Sanders applauded Mamdani for his grassroots efforts and described the
assemblyman’s campaign as an extension of the Vermont independent
senator’s own fight against oligarchy.
“What Zohran’s campaign is about is an understanding that today we
are living in an unprecedented moment in the modern history of our
country, and we have got to fight back in an unprecedented way,”
Sanders said.
He later added: “What you are seeing now is an oligarchy with
enormous economic power and enormous political power in both political
parties. And what this campaign is about and why it is so enormously
important — this is a test case. It is a test case of whether or not
democracy is still able to prevail.”
Both men went on to deliver a message of unity, stressing the
importance of ordinary people coalescing against the wealthy and
powerful.
“That fight, not just against oligarchy but for democracy, is a fight
that has energized tens of thousands of Americans across this country.
It has shown once again that politics is something that can be powered
by ordinary people — with not just a rejection of authoritarianism
but a belief in what is possible as well,” Mamdani said.
Meanwhile, Sanders said: “They have the wealth. They have the power.
But you know what we got? And what Zohran’s campaign is showing? We
have the people.”
Some New York Democrats have yet to endorse Mamdani
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has faced resistance
from some New York Democratic leaders, wary of his left-wing policy
proposals and his outspoken criticism of Israeli military actions in
Gaza.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents a New York City
district, has thus far withheld his endorsement, as have Senate
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, another New York Democrat, and the
state’s Democratic governor, Kathy Hochul.
Progressive leaders such as Sanders, however, have lined up behind
Mamdani, praising his campaign as a for Democrats as they navigate a
path back to power.
On Saturday, Sanders took aim at those withholding their support from
Mamdani, saying, “I find it hard to understand how the major
Democratic leaders in New York state are not supporting the Democratic
candidate.”
“So we got another fight on our hands and that is the future of the
Democratic Party,” Sanders later added.
Mamdani with Sanders in Washington in the immediate aftermath of his
surprise primary victory, during which the erstwhile progressive leader
offered him advice on intraparty clashes, money in politics, and
allegations of antisemitism amid his criticism of Israel.
Another prominent New York Democrat, Ocasio-Cortez — a at Sanders’
cross-country rallies — also endorsed Mamdani in the run-up to the
primary, and has continued leveraging her robust on his behalf since
the win.
And Mamdani’s charm offensive continues apace. Last week he held his
second meeting with Jeffries, having previously connected in July.
Jeffries has said he and Mamdani have had “candid and constructive”
conversations, and the Democratic leader has praised Mamdani’s focus
on cost-of-living issues in his campaign.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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