Obama’s Post-Election Praise for Democratic Victors Omits Zohran Mamdani — Sparking Outrage and Party Rift Speculation

By Elena Vasquez, Political Correspondent Washington, D.C. – November 5, 2025

As Democrats reveled in a cascade of off-year election triumphs Tuesday — from Virginia’s gubernatorial trifecta to New Jersey’s executive sweep and Pennsylvania’s judicial retention — former President Barack Obama issued a congratulatory statement lauding “all Democratic winners” for embodying “the best of our party’s values: progress, unity, and service.” Yet, in a conspicuous omission amid the blue wave, Obama’s message made no mention of Zohran Mamdani, the 34-year-old democratic socialist who clinched New York City’s mayoral race in a historic upset, becoming the city’s first Muslim mayor and its youngest in over a century. The snub, coming just a day after Obama reportedly praised Mamdani’s campaign in a private call, has ignited outrage among progressives and fueled whispers of a deepening civil war within the Democratic Party.

Mamdani’s victory, projected by the Associated Press at 9:32 p.m. ET, saw the Queens assemblyman defeat independent Andrew Cuomo — the scandal-plagued former governor running after a primary loss — 58%-39%, with Republican Curtis Sliwa trailing at 3%. The win capped a meteoric rise for Mamdani, a Uganda-born DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) member whose platform of rent freezes, universal childcare, and police reform resonated with young voters and working-class New Yorkers amid affordability crises. Turnout hit 2.1 million — the highest for a mayoral race since 1969 — with early voting up 65% from 2021, driven by Mamdani’s grassroots mobilization in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods like Jackson Heights. “New Yorkers chose urgency over the status quo,” Mamdani declared from his victory stage at Forest Hills Stadium, vowing to “globalize the intifada against inequality” and implement city-run grocery co-ops to combat food deserts.

Obama’s statement, posted to X at 10:15 p.m. ET, highlighted wins in Virginia (Abigail Spanberger’s 55%-44% gubernatorial landslide), New Jersey (Mikie Sherrill’s 56%-43% triumph), Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court retentions (68% yes votes), and Georgia’s Public Service Commission flips (Alicia Johnson and Peter Hubbard’s 58%-41% upsets). “These victories show our party’s resilience and the people’s demand for leaders who deliver results,” Obama wrote, urging unity “to build on this momentum in 2026.” Conspicuously absent: Mamdani, despite the former president’s reported Saturday call praising his “new kind of politics” and offering to serve as a “sounding board.” The omission, amplified by The New York Post’s front-page splash “OBAMA GHOSTS ZOHRAN,” has sparked a torrent of backlash.

Progressives erupted on X, where #ObamaSnubsMamdani trended with 1.8 million posts by Wednesday morning. “Obama praises ‘all Democratic winners’ but ghosts the socialist who just flipped NYC? This is the establishment’s fear of real change,” tweeted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), whose 1.2 million likes ignited a thread dissecting Obama’s “longstanding rule” against local endorsements. Mamdani’s camp, via spokesperson Dora Pekec, downplayed it: “Zohran appreciated President Obama’s words of support… His call was a huge boost.” Yet, adviser Patrick Gaspard — Obama’s former political director — admitted to The Post the silence stung: “It’s a signal to the establishment that even Obama draws lines at DSA radicals.”

The slight underscores a brewing civil war in Democratic ranks, where Mamdani’s insurgent socialism clashes with the party’s centrist core. His June primary upset over Cuomo — 52%-48% — mobilized young voters (72% turnout in Brooklyn) but alienated moderates wary of his BDS support, “globalize the intifada” chants at rallies, and proposals like seizing empty luxury units for homeless housing. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) endorsed tepidly in October, telling reporters, “We’re continuing to talk,” while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) stayed neutral until Election Day. Even Bill Clinton and Michael Bloomberg backed Cuomo, framing Mamdani as a “charismatic swindler” risking “major decline in living standards,” per Elon Musk’s Joe Rogan appearance.

Republicans, sensing blood, piled on. President Trump, who urged votes for Cuomo on 60 Minutes as the “lesser evil” over a “communist,” tweeted Wednesday: “Obama ignores his own party’s commie mayor? Dems in DISARRAY — Mamdani’s NYC will be Venezuela 2.0!” The NRCC memo crowed: “Jeffries’ endorsement confirms the Democratic Party has been hijacked by the radical left.” On Reddit’s r/DemocraticSocialism, users vented: “Losing respect for Obama… Why no shoutout for the guy flipping NYC socialist?”

Mamdani’s rise — from immigrant son to DSA star — embodies the party’s leftward lurch, but at a cost. His platform, including $30 minimum wage and NYPD “reform,” polled well with millennials (65% support) but tanked among seniors (28%). The Obama call, leaked via Gaspard, was meant as a private boost, but its public surfacing — and subsequent omission — amplified tensions. “Obama’s rule on locals is real, but this feels personal,” said a DNC strategist. “Mamdani’s too hot for the Obama brand — Israel critiques, intifada rhetoric… it’s a bridge too far.”

As Democrats savor nationwide gains — Spanberger’s Virginia trifecta, Sherrill’s NJ sweep, Pennsylvania’s court holds, Georgia PSC flips — Mamdani’s win stands as a progressive pinnacle amid establishment unease. Outrage brews: DSA chapters rally with #JusticeForZohran, while centrists like Gottheimer whisper of primary challenges. Obama’s silence? Not snub, per his team — but in politics’ echo chamber, perception reigns. The civil war simmers: Will Mamdani bridge divides, or widen them? New York’s new mayor takes office January 1 — the party’s fault lines, exposed.