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As Obama warns Democrats against ‘litmus tests,’ some progressives vent fury at Schumer after Mamdani’s big win
As Democrats savor their Election Day victories, some are capitalizing on the victory of New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani and calling out 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 were sneering at Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who was not present, for shutting down popular new faces based on disagreements over specific issues.
“There are no people, I think right now, who have a worse read on what electable means and less of a pulse on voters than the Democratic establishment,” said Morris Katz, who managed Mamdani’s campaign. He was then asked if anyone cared that Schumer did not endorse in the New York City mayoral race.
“Who?” Katz said, feigning familiarity with the leader’s influence and drawing laughs from the audience.
The discussions and jeers at the event Crooked Con, put together by a progressive media company founded by three former President Barack Obama aides, are coming days after Democrats secured wins in the 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 on Tuesday included Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill, center-left Democrats who won gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey.
Some attendants used the time to reflect on those victories and said they have to redefine their vision to energize voters to turn out to vote.
Fear of progressives
“There’s just a lot of fear around progressive policies that’s misunderstood,” said U.S. Rep. Yassamin Ansari, an Arizona Democrat. “But when it’s actually articulated to people, you will see that even on the right, it’s more of a populist agenda that a lot of people actually are behind.”
Progressives and other elected Democrats, strategists, campaign managers, and liberal commentators gathered and agreed that focusing on affordability and rejecting Trump’s economic agenda was key to the party’s success on Tuesday. Some credited Trump’s 2024 campaigning for ideas like “no tax on tips” and saying they could learn from Republicans to stand strongly by their candidates. They urged Democrats not to overanalyze things and to take risks.
Former President Barack Obama urged Democrats “not to impose litmus tests” when talking about the different factions that won on Tuesday. He launched his presidential bid 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 that we want everybody engaged, and we want to have a conversation about how to make sure that every person in this country is treated with dignity and respect,” Obama said.
Democratic Party chair speaks about the rise of Mamdani
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, who endorsed Mamdani last month, said he had no advice for Mamdani, “other than to keep doing what he’s doing.”
“He’s inspired people throughout New York,” Martin said, adding that he is cheering him on and “making sure that all of us are helping to contribute to his success.”
Schumer did not endorse Mamdani. Katz, Mamdani’s campaign manager, said there were 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 been critical of Mamdani because of his stance on Israel. A longtime advocate of Palestinian rights, Mamdani has accused Israel of committing genocide.
Party leaders, including Gov. Kathy Hochul and U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, eventually endorsed the self-described democratic socialist months after he won the nomination.
Frustration with factions and labels
Some Democrats mentioned as 2028 presidential hopefuls appeared frustrated with the discussion on the divisions facing the party and said that voters are not ultrafocused on that, and that Republicans don’t really bother with that.
U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego described it as “internal pearl clutching” that is not happening on the Republican side, and said Democrats “don’t have to agree on everything.”
Gallego said the normal voters don’t think that way.
“They think, ‘Is this person going to 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, we should be figuring out how to do those three things right.”
