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A 'NO' ON ZO: Obama Refuses to Endorse Zohran Mamdani After Phone Chat: Report

posted by Hannity Staff - 11.03.25

According to a New York Post report, former President Barack Obama refused to endorse NYC mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani after speaking to the socialist over the weekend.

Obama withheld his endorsement, despite endorsing far-left Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2013.

From The New York Post:

The Democratic ex-prez was just across the Hudson River at a last-minute rally for New Jersey Dem gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill at Essex County Community College in Newark on Saturday, but he didn’t venture into New York City to lobby for the party’s mayoral hopeful in person — much less throw his public support behind him before Tuesday’s election.

Mamdani campaign adviser Patrick Gaspard, who served as director of White House Office of Political Affairs and US Ambassador to South Africa under Obama, futilely tried to downplay the former president’s lack of endorsement as one of the race’s latest polls showed Mamdani foe Andrew Cuomo closing in.

“President Obama doesn’t endorse in local races. That’s a longstanding rule post-presidency,” Gaspard claimed to The Post. “He endorses in general election races for federal office and governors. His call to Zohran is a huge boost at a critical moment and a signal to New Yorkers.”

But Obama’s so-called endorsement “rule” is apparently plenty bendable.

In fact, the 44th president has endorsed numerous candidates for mayor over the years, including the unpopular de Blasio.

Other mayoral candidates endorsed by Obama also included beleaguered Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, as well as her predecessor Eric Garcetti, and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, who later served as Obama’s White House Chief of Staff.

The former prez has even waded into mayoral contests in smaller cities, endorsing Rick Kriseman for mayor of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Caroline Simmons for mayor of Stamford, Conn.

Mamdani spokeswoman Dora Pekec meanwhile tried to equally explain away the non-endorsement in a statement to The Post.

“Zohran Mamdani appreciated President Obama’s words of support and their conversation on the importance of bringing a new kind of politics to our city,” Pekec said of the pair’s phone call.

More over at The New York Post: