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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., pulled back the curtain on New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s “productive” meeting with Democratic lawmakers in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
When asked by Fox News’ Chad Pergram how Mamdani’s message resonated with Democrats during a “Communication and Organizing Skillshare Breakfast,” Ocasio-Cortez said the Democratic nominee shared critical insights about how to “level up all of our games in terms of technique.”
The progressive superstar urged the outstanding Mamdani skeptics to “get to know him” before “making assessments from what you may see on television.” She applauded her caucus for “showing up in good faith” to give him a fair chance and demonstrating a “willingness to listen and make assessments for themselves.”
But when a reporter asked if House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., would formally endorse Mamdani, Ocasio-Cortez said she wouldn’t speak to any individual’s endorsement, or lack thereof.
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Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have confirmed plans to meet with Mamdani in New York City later this week, but both top Democratic leaders from New York have yet to endorse the self-described Democratic socialist candidate.
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“We want Democrats to be successful,” Ocasio-Cortez told reporters. “We want Democrats to win. As the Democratic nominee for New York City, Zohran Mamdani is overwhelmingly favored to win the general election. And in doing so, we want the next mayor of New York City, a Democrat, to be as successful as possible.”
“Squad” member Ocasio-Cortez has dominated headlines since she arrived on the political scene in 2018, unseating a longtime Democratic incumbent. The New Yorker said she shared with Mamdani that “the way sometimes people are painted in the media doesn’t always align with who we really are as individuals.”
“I think that when people get to know him as a person, when people get to know us as real people, what they find kind of surprises them,” Ocasio-Cortez explained.
And across Capitol Hill on Wednesday afternoon, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the longtime progressive champion, posed for friendly photos with Mamdani outside an office building on the Hill. Like Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders endorsed Mamdani ahead of his Democratic primary win last month.
“Had a great meeting with @ZohranKMamdan and am deeply impressed by the grassroots campaign he is running,” Sanders said on X. “The Oligarchs are prepared to undermine democracy & spend tens of millions to buy the election for his opponents. We will not allow that to happen. Stand with Zohran.”
Mamdani, in turn, said it was an “absolute honor to meet with one of my heroes and the champion for working people across our country.” He called Sanders “Brooklyn through and through,” noting that the Vermont senator was born and raised there.
Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., said he would not attend Ocasio-Cortez’s breakfast on Wednesday. Suozzi, a moderate, has emerged as a vocal opponent of Mamdani’s campaign among New York Democrats.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., endorsed Mamdani last week after backing former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary. Cuomo announced on Monday his decision to stay in the mayoral race as an independent.
Several Democratic leaders were spotted leaving breakfast on Wednesday morning, which took place in Washington’s Navy Yard neighborhood after a last-minute location change.
While leaving the breakfast, longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, who has endorsed Mamdani, was asked by Fox News if Schumer and Jeffries would eventually endorse the mayoral nominee. He replied that he “would assume so in time.”
But Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., attended the breakfast meeting and told reporters as she departed that Mamdani had successfully utilized social media on the campaign trail. Dingell also blamed the media for what she said was rhetoric that Democrats are moving towards socialism.
A top progressive House member, Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington state, told reporters as she left the meeting that Mamdani was “inspiring.”
Rep. Ro Khanna of California, another leading progressive lawmaker who is also considered a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, told reporters on his way out that Mamdani was “very impressive.”
Rep. Nydia Velázquez, a Democrat from New York who has endorsed Mamdani, told reporters as she left the meeting that “it is just beautiful to have someone who is so authentic, you know, money cannot buy that. And, we had a great conversation.”
It appeared Mamdani didn’t delve into specifics regarding the far-left agenda he’s hoping to enact if he’s elected New York City mayor, and instead spotlighted his effective campaign trail messaging, which focused on the crucial issue of affordability.
Democratic Rep. Luz Rivas of California told reporters upon leaving the meeting that “it was just more how he was getting that message out,” when asked what Mamdani discussed.
Fox News’ Kelly Phares, Tyler Olson, Oliva Patel, Dan Scully, Aishah Hasnie and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
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