A former George Soros lieutenant has re-emerged as a central connector between Obama-era insiders and Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic socialist now surging in New York City’s mayoral race.
Patrick Gaspard, once president of Soros’ Open Society Foundations and a longtime Democratic strategist, has been informally advising Mamdani. According to the New York Times, he recently introduced the candidate to David Axelrod, Barack Obama’s chief campaign architect, signaling a growing alignment between the two camps.
Gaspard is no stranger to the inner circle. He advised Obama’s historic 2008 run, later became executive director of the Democratic National Committee, and in 2021 took over as president of the Center for American Progress.
Obama World Rallies Behind Mamdani
Behind the scenes, Obama allies are increasingly engaging with Mamdani’s operation. The Times reported that Obama himself phoned the candidate after his June primary win, offering guidance about governing and urging him to give voters “optimism in dark times.”
Gaspard, who attended Mamdani’s victory party, has also been spotted accompanying him to high-level meetings. When Axelrod stopped by Mamdani’s Manhattan headquarters last month, Gaspard facilitated the introduction.
“What I found when I went over to that office was a familiar spirit that I hadn’t seen in a while of just determined, upbeat idealism,” Axelrod told the Times. “You may not agree with every answer he’s giving, or every idea he has, but he’s certainly asking the right questions, which is how do we make the country work for working people?”
Podcasters, Donors, and Soros Ties
Other high-profile figures are also watching closely. Former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau and adviser Dan Pfeiffer better known as the “Obama bros” behind Pod Save America, have been in touch with Mamdani’s inner circle, according to the Times.
That backing could soon translate into big money. Gaspard’s Soros connections may open doors to wealthy donors who share Mamdani’s progressive agenda.
Gaspard, who earned millions while leading OSF from 2017 to 2020, has remained fiercely loyal to Soros. After President Biden announced Soros would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Gaspard called him “one of our leading defenders of inclusive and accountable democracy and vibrant civil society.”
“His accomplishments, in the face of distortions and threats from extremists, will be lauded well into the future,” Gaspard added.
In a 2023 thread on X, he went further, insisting Soros was unfairly vilified. “George Soros is as concerned about public safety as anyone else. But he recognizes that our criminal justice system is badly broken, and in need of new ideas and new approaches – a view that enjoyed bipartisan consensus in the before times,” Gaspard wrote.
“It is also important to note that in Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and all over the country voters keep electing and re-electing reformers,” he continued. “To suggest that the reason they are doing so is because of Soros contributions is an insult to ordinary people.”
Far-Left Groups Back Mamdani
The Mamdani campaign has already drawn support from activist organizations long bankrolled by Soros’ foundations. The Working Families Party alone has received more than $23 million from OSF, the New York Post reported.
Additional endorsements have rolled in from groups like Jewish Voice for Peace Action, Make The Road Action, and Community Voices Heard. Influence Watch describes Jewish Voice for Peace Action as “a left-wing, nominally Jewish group that opposes U.S. assistance to the state of Israel and supports allowing Palestinians to live on land within Israel vacated by Arabs during the Israeli War of Independence.”
The Stakes Ahead
With the general election looming, Obama world’s fingerprints on Mamdani’s campaign are becoming harder to ignore. Gaspard has emerged as a pivotal adviser, blending Soros-funded networks with Obama-era influence at a moment when Mamdani is consolidating power on the left.
The question now: can this alliance of progressive titans push a socialist into New York City’s highest office?
