Kamala Harris is in New York for the start of her book tour, but she also took care of a little political business while in town: fielding a call on Wednesday afternoon from Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor in New York City.
The call, according to two people familiar with it, was warmer and more fulsome than Harris’ answer when Rachel Maddow asked her on Monday during an interview on MSNBC if she would endorse Mamdani.
“I support the Democrat in the race, sure,” Harris said then, before highlighting other Democrats across the country and arguing not all of the focus should be on New York City.
On the phone Wednesday, Harris told Mamdani that while they don’t agree on everything, for New York to succeed, he needs to succeed. Mamdani thanked her for her support on the call, echoing his statement Tuesday in which he said Harris’ backing “underscores that our fight for affordability is striking a chord not just here in New York, but with Democrats across the country.”
The call comes after months of tricky navigating by both: Mamdani did not endorse Harris when she was running for president last year, which several of the prominent Democrats who have held off on supporting him now tend to point to. Mamdani’s democratic socialist politics also put him enough out of step with her that people around the former vice president were making clear to some concerned donors and other supporters that her stepdaughter Ella Emhoff’s backing his campaign should not be seen as representing her.
No plans were made for a more formal endorsement or joint appearance on the trail, the sources said.