Mamdani meets with union bigwig in search for lefty 2028 candidates

 Mayor Zohran Mamdani met with the head honcho of the powerful United Auto Workers union Tuesday as part of his latest sit-down meetings with labor leaders over fielding a lefty 2028 presidential candidate.

Hizzoner’s evening sit-down at Gracie Mansion with UAW leader Shawn Fain is just the mayor’s latest meeting with labor bosses while Mamdani’s fellow Democratic Socialists of America member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mulls over whether she will run for the White House.

Mamdani has held closed-door meetings in recent weeks discussing potential candidates while privately expressing doubt over whether socialist darling AOC will ultimately run for president in 2028.

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Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers union, will meet with the mayor at Gracie Mansion later today as part of his latest talks with lefty labor figures about fielding a 2028 presidential candidate.UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani will meet with the influential union head today after previously hosting meetings with other labor honchos, while speculation swirls on whether AOC will ultimately run for president.REUTERSHizzoner “wants the progressive ecosystem to mobilize quickly, strategically and efficiently if a moderate candidate is clearly on the rise,” one source who spoke directly with Mamdani told Axios, which first reported the conversations. 

Lefty politicos, including many former staffers from Mamdani’s winning mayoral campaign, launched a “Ready for AOC” hybrid PAC aimed at getting the socialist darling to throw her hat in the ring, The Post previously reported.

Fain made waves in left-wing circles after leading aggressive strikes against automakers in 2023 and has been floated as a potential presidential candidate. Fain told Detroit News last month he has “no plans” on running for the White House.

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Shawn Fain made waves in left-wing circles after successfully leading aggressive strikes against automakers in 2023.AFP via Getty ImagesThe UAW was one of the first unions to endorse Mamdani’s 2025 mayoral campaign and where DSA congresswoman-elect and close ally Claire Valdez worked as an organizer before running for office.

The powerful labor group boasts 100,000 members working in everything from higher education to aerospace.

City Hall reps did not respond to requests for comment.

https://nypost.com/2026/11/11/us-news/mamdani-meets-with-union-bigwig-as-he-searches-for-lefty-2028-candidates/