Former US president Barack Obama called Zohran Mamdani, the frontrunner in the New York City mayoral race, on Saturday to praise his campaign and to offer to serve as a “sounding board” if the candidate wins.

“Your campaign has been impressive to watch,” Obama was said to have told Mamdai in the 30-minute conversation.

The call, first reported by The New York Times, was confirmed by Mamdani’s spokesperson.

“Zohran Mamdani appreciated President Obama’s words of support and their conversation on the importance of bringing a new kind of politics to our city,” said Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec.

Mamdani is a longtime anti-Israel activist who has said the Palestinian cause is central to his identity. His anti-Israel rhetoric has alarmed many Jews, sparking a series of warnings from Jewish leaders who say that his vilification of Israel could spur antisemitism.

Jews in New York City are targeted in hate crimes........

© The Times of Israel