The former president of George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, a senior strategist for Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, former executive director of the Democratic National Committee, and current head of the Center for American Progress is now serving as a bridge between Obama-world operatives and Zohran Mamdani, the openly communist mayoral candidate who appears poised to take New York City.
According to Fox News, Patrick Gaspard has been informally advising the Mamdani campaign and even recently connected him to Obama's campaign architect, David Axelrod, according to a recent opinion article in the New York Times.
"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 NYT. "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?"
Operatives from Obama’s political orbit have begun quietly aligning themselves with Mamdani, maintaining backchannel communications with his campaign. Following Mamdani’s Democratic primary victory in June, Obama himself, a left-wing symbol of hope, reportedly called Mamdani, discussing the need to instill optimism in the public during periods of uncertainty.
While establishment Democrats appear torn over whether to openly embrace Mamdani’s triumph over disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo, former President Obama apparently has shown no such hesitation.
The Times piece further observed that former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau and former Obama adviser Dan Pfeiffer, popularly known as the “Obama bros” of the Pod Save America podcast, have been in direct contact with a senior Mamdani adviser and are closely monitoring the race. While the influence of Obama’s network could prove decisive in the run-up to the general election, Gaspard’s history with the Soros foundations may provide Mamdani with access to deep-pocketed donors aligned with his political agenda.
Gaspard has been a staunch defender of George Soros, saying he was "inspired by the selection of my friend George Soros, who is one of our leading defenders of inclusive and accountable democracy and vibrant civil society," after former President Biden announced Gaspard was to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In a long X thread in 2023, Gaspard attempted to deflect blame away from Soros and the accusations that he was pouring millions into political campaigns to get progressive District Attorneys elected, and emphasizing social justice programs and leniency for violent criminals rather than real justice.
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.
— Patrick Gaspard (@patrickgaspard) April 27, 2023
The Mamdani campaign has already captured the attention and assistance of several radical progressive groups. They have donated tens of millions of dollars in funding from OSF, including the socialist Working Families Party, which has received $23 million from Soros' OSF, according to the New York Post.
In the span of just a few months, Mamdani’s bid for City Hall has evolved from a fringe socialist insurgency into a project backed by some of the most influential figures in the Democratic Party. With Patrick Gaspard serving as the conduit between Soros-funded networks and Obama’s inner circle, the campaign is positioned to merge deep-pocketed progressive donors with the strategic muscle of seasoned political operatives. Whether this alliance is enough to propel an avowed communist into Gracie Mansion remains to be seen, but the odds don't look good.