On Monday, September 22, 2025, former Vice President Kamala Harris made waves in Democratic circles with a tepid endorsement of Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee in the New York City mayoral race. During a high-profile interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Harris was pressed on whether she would back Mamdani, who had recently clinched a decisive victory in the city’s Democratic primary. Her response was measured: “Look, as far as I’m concerned, he’s the Democratic nominee and he should be supported.”
This lukewarm support came at a moment when establishment Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries—both from New York—have drawn scrutiny for their reluctance to endorse Mamdani. Despite his primary triumph earlier in 2025, both Schumer and Jeffries have publicly stated they are still weighing their options, declining to elaborate on their hesitation. Their reticence is widely seen as a reflection of the party’s ongoing struggle to reconcile Mamdani’s progressive platform and his identity as a democratic socialist with the more moderate leanings of some party leaders.
Complicating matters further is the continued presence of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the mayoral race. Cuomo’s refusal to exit the contest has muddied the waters for Democrats hoping to present a unified front. According to reporting from MSNBC, this dynamic has left the party establishment in a bind, with some leaders wary of fully embracing Mamdani’s candidacy at the risk of alienating moderate voters.
Harris, for her part, used the moment to spotlight other rising figures within the Democratic Party, subtly signaling that the future of the party extends well beyond the borders of New York. “I support the Democrat in the race, sure,” she said, before quickly pivoting. “But let me just say this. He’s not the only star. I know that, you know, he’s in New York. And I know New Yorkers think they’re the center of the world.” She then named Alabama state Representative Barbara Drummond and New Orleans City Council Member Helena Moreno, both of whom are currently running for mayor in their respective cities. “They’re all running for mayor, too, and they are stars,” Harris declared, urging Democrats not to “over-index on New York City” at the expense of recognizing talent nationwide.
This was more than just a rhetorical flourish. Harris’s comments marked the most prominent endorsement Mamdani has received so far, following a recent show of support from New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Hochul’s endorsement was seen as a sign that moderate Democrats are beginning to rally behind Mamdani, albeit cautiously. Still, the party remains divided, with some establishment figures privately expressing concerns about the electability of a candidate with such a progressive agenda.
Meanwhile, Harris’s own standing within the Democratic Party has come under fresh scrutiny. On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten analyzed the former vice president’s current political fortunes, arguing that Harris is “losing steam with Democrats” as she tours the country to promote her new book, 107 Days, and reflects on her 2024 campaign. Enten highlighted a troubling trend for Harris: her net favorable rating, as measured by Fox News polling, has dropped from -5 in October 2024 to -13 this month. Among independents, that figure is even more dismal, sitting at -37. “If you can’t win independents, you can’t win the election,” Enten said during a segment with CNN’s Sara Sidner. “And the bottom line is, with those in the center of the electorate, those who are the most up for grabs, she is way, way, way underwater. She is definitely swimming with the fishes.”
Early polling on potential 2028 Democratic presidential nominees paints a similar picture. Harris’s support among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents has fallen from 28% in April 2025 to just 19% in September, according to CNN. At the same time, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s stock is rising, with his support climbing from 8% to 21% over the same period. When asked about her future ambitions on MSNBC, Harris was noncommittal, stating that a 2028 presidential run is not her “focus” at the moment.
Even in her home state of California, enthusiasm for another Harris presidential campaign appears mixed. While Harris secured 58% of the vote in the state during the 2024 election, a Politico poll from August 2025 found that only 42% of California voters would be “excited” if she ran for president again. This ambivalence underscores the challenges Harris faces as she seeks to maintain her influence within the party—and perhaps explains her eagerness to spotlight other Democratic “stars” across the country.
One such star is Helena Moreno, the New Orleans City Council vice president who is currently running for mayor. Harris, who has maintained a close relationship with Moreno since they first met in New Orleans in 2019, lavished praise on her during the Maddow interview, calling Moreno a “rising star in national Democratic politics.” Moreno and Harris have worked together on several issues, including reforms for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, as well as efforts to address Louisiana’s beleaguered electrical grid. Moreno co-chaired Harris’s 2019 presidential bid and played a key role in securing Harris’s nomination for president in 2024.
Moreno’s campaign has seized on Harris’s endorsement as a powerful counter to attacks from her opponents. The mayoral contest in New Orleans has grown increasingly heated in recent weeks, with state Senator Royce Duplessis launching pointed criticisms at Moreno, who holds a commanding 30-plus point lead in recent polls over both Duplessis and City Council member Oliver Thomas. In a statement provided by her campaign, Moreno responded to Harris’s support with gratitude: “It’s an honor to hear those kind words from Vice President Kamala Harris, a courageous leader with whom I’ve enjoyed a close and longtime relationship. But I remain focused on our issues here in New Orleans and working to earn the opportunity to lead our home city in a new direction.”
Moreno’s team has also used Harris’s endorsement to push back on attacks from rivals, posting on Instagram: “Could a so-called Trump supporter pull this shoutout? Enough of the lies. Thank you Kamala Harris, we think she’s a star also!”
The relationship between Harris and Moreno is not merely symbolic. After Hurricane Ida struck Louisiana in 2021, Moreno credited Harris’s intervention with helping to secure crucial federal funding for repairs to the state’s electrical grid. “It was like, ‘Okay, this is where this relationship really matters,’” Moreno reflected in an interview last summer, highlighting the tangible benefits of their partnership.
As New Orleans voters prepare to cast ballots in the municipal primary on October 11, 2025, and as the Democratic establishment continues to negotiate its internal divisions in New York, Harris’s endorsements—however measured—are shaping the contours of mayoral politics in America’s big cities. Whether her support will be enough to unify the party or merely highlight its fractures remains an open question. But for now, Harris is determined to remind Democrats that the party’s future rests not just in New York, but in every corner of the country where new leaders are stepping up.
