NYC mayoral front-runner Mamdani holds first meeting

Zohran Mamdani, the front-runner in the race for New York City mayor, met Wednesday with lawmakers on Capitol Hill in what progressive superstar Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called a "really positive meeting."

"It's important for folks to meet people in person, kick the tires and talk to him themselves," Ocasio-Cortez told Fox News in a brief interview following what was billed as a "Communication and Organizing Skillshare Breakfast."

Asked what her message is to some members of the Democratic Party that have so far withheld their support for Mamdani over his progressive platform, she said: "I always think that the best approach to these things is to hear it directly from the person themselves, instead of, you know, whatever the media static is, or whatever it may be."

"If anyone has any reservations, you know, I think it's important to meet and hear straight from the source, and make a determination from there," she added.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a fellow New York Democrat, has so far withheld his endorsement of Mamdani due to the mayoral candidate's criticisms of Israel but said he would be meeting with Mamdani later this week in Brooklyn.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, also of New York, has similarly stopped short of endorsing the self-described democratic socialist. Schumer also plans to meet separately with Mamdani.

Mamdani has become a quickly rising star among progressive Democrats after he won New York City's mayoral Democratic primary in June, putting him on track to become the first Muslim and first South Asian to lead the US's largest city.

The stunning victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates has set the stage for a tight race come November. A HarrisX poll released Tuesday showed Mamdani three points ahead of Cuomo (26%-23%) in a four-way race with incumbent Mayor Eric Adams at 13%.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa is polling at 22%.

Many of those who met with Mamdani on Capitol Hill lauded his political acumen, including California Democratic Rep. Luz Rivas, who said meeting with Mamdani "was a great learning experience for me as a new member of Congress."

"We were just learning skills from him, communication skills. It was not about whether we're supporting him or not," she said.