Former Vice President Kamala Harris has initiated contact with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a progressive activist critical of U.S. policy toward Israel, and other left-wing figures as she positions herself for a potential 2028 presidential primary run. These outreach efforts come as Harris currently leads national Democratic primary polls.
The conversations, first reported by Axios, focused on the future direction of the Democratic Party. Harris reportedly congratulated Mamdani on his recent successes in New York primaries, where several progressive candidates defeated incumbents. Mamdani confirmed the outreach, stating he appreciated the conversation and had been in touch with the former vice president over the past few months.
Abbas Alawieh, co-founder of the Uncommitted Movement, which advocated against President Biden's re-election due to U.S. support for Israel, also reported meeting with Harris in Detroit following multiple phone calls from her. Alawieh shared that he conveyed concerns from his constituents about civilian casualties in Gaza and the destruction of family property, reiterating his position that American aid should not support actions targeting civilians. He urged Harris and other party leaders to oppose "endless wars" and what he described as the Israeli military's "genocide in Gaza."
Alawieh is running for State Senate District 2 in Michigan, a state that includes Dearborn. The mayor of Dearborn and U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib, whose district also covers Dearborn, notably withheld their endorsements for President Biden in 2024.
Harris has previously voiced criticism regarding the civilian toll in the Israel-Hamas conflict. In July 2024, days after President Biden ended his re-election campaign, Harris stated that Israel had killed "far too many" civilians and declared she "will not be silent." This statement followed a White House meeting between President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Harris also met with leaders of the Uncommitted Movement, reportedly to discuss a potential arms embargo against Israel if she were to be elected.
Simultaneously, Harris has sought to appeal to Jewish Democratic voters, emphasizing in her speeches, including at the Democratic National Convention, Israel's right to self-defense. Polling data indicates that while Harris maintained Biden's 2020 share of the Jewish vote in 2024, Donald Trump saw greater support among Muslim American voters than Harris. An exit survey by the Council on American-Islamic Relations indicated Harris received 20.3% of the Muslim American vote in November.
Recent New York primary results highlighted a significant bloc of Democratic voters supporting anti-Israel candidates. Notably, a Democratic Socialist of America-endorsed candidate won against a five-term incumbent, and another Democratic candidate, formerly a DSA member, defeated a Jewish incumbent while accusing Israel of committing "genocide."
According to RealClearPolitics polling averages, Harris leads the national Democratic primary race with 27.3% support, although she has not officially declared her candidacy for 2028. Other notable figures trailing her in the polls include California Governor Gavin Newsom, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Harris has previously stated she is "thinking about" a potential run.