As Obama warns Democrats against ‘litmus tests,’ some progressives express anger at Schumer after Mamdani’s big win
As Democrats savor their Election Day victories, some are capitalizing on New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory and denouncing party leaders for snubbing progressives, warning that alienating the left could cost them crucial House seats needed to take control and counter President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Democrats gathered for a conference hosted by progressives mocked Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who was not in attendance, for silencing popular new faces based on disagreements on specific issues.
“There is no one, I think right now, who has a less understanding of what it means to be electable and who has less influence over voters than the Democratic establishment,” said Morris Katz, who managed Mamdani’s campaign. He was then asked if anyone cared that Schumer didn’t support the New York mayoral race.
“WHO?” » Katz said, feigning familiarity with the frontman’s influence and drawing laughter from the audience.
The discussions and jeers at the Crooked Con event, hosted by a progressive media company founded by three former aides to President Barack Obama, come days after Democrats secured victories in key swing states of Georgia, Pennsylvania and Virginia, with signs that key voting groups, including young people, black voters and Hispanics, were shifting 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 took the opportunity to reflect on these victories and said they needed to redefine their vision to get voters to the polls.
Fear of progressives
“There’s a lot of fear around progressive policies that are misunderstood,” said U.S. Rep. Yassamin Ansari, an Arizona Democrat. “But when it’s actually presented to people, you’ll see that even on the right, it’s more of a populist agenda that a lot of people support.”
Progressives and other Democratic elected officials, strategists, campaign managers and liberal commentators came together and agreed that focusing on affordability and rejecting Trump’s economic agenda was the key to the party’s success Tuesday. Some credited Trump’s 2024 campaign with ideas like “no tax on tips” and said they could learn from Republicans to strongly support their candidates. They urged Democrats not to overanalyze things and take risks.
Former President Barack Obama urged Democrats “not to impose litmus tests” when talking about the different factions that won Tuesday. He launched his presidential bid in 2007 with a progressive agenda focused on health care and climate change.
“They’re part of a vision for the future. Our job is to say we want everyone engaged, and we want to have a conversation about how to ensure that every person in this country is treated with dignity and respect,” Obama said.
Democratic Party chairman talks about Mamdani’s rise to power
Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin, who endorsed Mamdani last month, said he had no advice for him “other than to keep doing what he’s doing.”
“He inspired people all over New York,” Martin said, adding that he encouraged him and “made sure we all did our part to contribute to his success.”
Schumer did not support Mamdani. Katz, Mamdani’s campaign manager, said there had been private discussions between the two.
Mamdani’s comfortable victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary excited progressives but worried the party establishment. Some Democrats have criticized Mamdani because of his stance on Israel. A longtime defender of Palestinian rights, Mamdani has accused Israel of committing genocide.
Party leaders, including Gov. Kathy Hochul and U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, ultimately endorsed the self-described democratic socialist months after he won the nomination.
Frustration with factions and labels
Some Democrats mentioned as 2028 presidential candidates seemed frustrated by the debate over the divisions facing the party and said voters aren’t ultra-focused on that and Republicans don’t really care.
U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego described it as an “internal pearl quest,” which is not the case on the Republican side, and said Democrats “don’t have to agree on everything.”
Gallego said normal voters don’t think that way.
“They wonder, ‘Is this person going to fight for me?’ Does this person understand what I am going through? Do I trust him?” he said. “Instead of trying to focus on this tribalism within our party, we should figure out how to do these three things well.”
