Mamdani’s DC swing: House Democrats take notes and Bernie Sanders offers advice
CNN
Days after Eric Adams won the New York City mayoral primary four years ago, he was invited to Washington by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi to speak to the House Democratic caucus, touted by the chair of the House Democrats’ campaign arm as a model for campaigns around the country, and welcomed at Joe Biden’s White House.
Days after Eric Adams won the New York City mayoral primary four years ago, he was invited to Washington by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi to speak to the House Democratic caucus, touted by the chair of the House Democrats’ campaign arm as a model for campaigns around the country, and welcomed at Joe Biden’s White House. Zohran Mamdani’s trip to Washington after his own primary victory lasted about four hours. There were no meetings with senior Democratic leaders. The 33-year-old assemblyman and democratic socialist had breakfast Wednesday with Democratic members of Congress before a private strategy session with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a key endorser before his stunning primary victory. But party leaders and many swing-district lawmakers kept their distance from Mamdani, worried about his policy ideas and Republican plans to make him a national foil. Sanders urged his now-protégé to be firm in calling for Democratic leaders to rally behind him but also to more carefully address what he’s said about Israel. First was a breakfast meeting arranged by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who had also endorsed him before the June 24 primary. The conversation around the platters, according to multiple people in the room, involved roughly 40 House Democrats asking and taking notes about Mamdani’s message of affordability. Mamdani joked at one point that in terms of getting support, he’s gone “from being the hunter to the hunted.” California Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, still munching on a spinach pastry, was all smiles as she headed to her car. She said her big takeaway was about “not being distracted by the culture wars Republicans inevitably want to stoke.”
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