Former President Barack Obama has urged Democrats to take a broader, more inclusive approach to the future of their party — one that welcomes socialists and progressives as legitimate voices within the Democratic coalition.

Speaking Thursday on the Pod Save America podcast, the former president argued that Democrats risk alienating younger and more diverse voters if they continue to draw hard ideological lines. He pointed to the recent election of Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s new mayor and a self-identified Democratic Socialist, as an example of the changing political landscape.

“Tuesday was nice, but we’ve got a lot of work to do,” Obama said, referring to the week’s mixed election results across several states. “And your task is going to be not to impose litmus tests. We had Abigail Spanberger win, and we had Zohran Mamdani win — and they are all part of a vision for the future. Our job is to say that we want everybody engaged.”

Obama’s comments came during a wide-ranging conversation with the hosts — all of whom are former members of his White House communications team — about the direction of the Democratic Party, its struggles to connect with working-class voters, and the growing influence of progressive movements within the party.

An Appeal for Unity Over Purity

The former president, who remains one of the Democratic Party’s most popular figures, emphasized that the path to national success in 2028 and beyond depends on building bridges rather than enforcing purity tests.

“We want to have a conversation about how to make sure that every person in this country is treated with dignity and respect,” Obama said. “We want to build ladders of opportunity, and a sense of community — not in some cliché way, but in a genuine way that recognizes our differences while still understanding that there’s something shared and extraordinary about being Americans.”

Obama’s message was as much a call for patience as it was a call for inclusion. “There are fights that are going to have to be fought,” he added. “But deep down, there’s something in us that we have in common, and we can’t lose sight of that.”

Mamdani’s Win and the Rise of Democratic Socialism

Obama’s comments came just two days after Zohran Mamdani, a state assemblyman from Queens and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), was elected as Mayor of New York City. His victory — achieved by defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa — stunned the Democratic establishment and energized progressives nationwide.

Mamdani’s campaign was unapologetically left-wing. His platform included proposals such as raising taxes on corporations and wealthy residents, implementing a citywide rent freeze, expanding free public transit, providing universal childcare, and even creating city-owned grocery stores to combat food insecurity.

Critics called his ideas economically reckless and ideologically extreme, but supporters saw them as bold solutions to a city grappling with record inequality, housing shortages, and a cost-of-living crisis.

In his victory speech, Mamdani declared that “New York City has chosen a future that works for the many, not the few,” calling his win “a mandate for working people.”

Obama’s reference to Mamdani — delivered in an approving tone — was widely interpreted as a signal that the Democratic Party’s most influential elder statesman is acknowledging, if not outright endorsing, the growing power of the party’s left wing.

A Party in Transition

For years, Democrats have wrestled with how to balance their centrist establishment and progressive base. The divisions became most visible during the 2016 and 2020 presidential primaries, when Bernie Sanders’ brand of democratic socialism challenged traditional party leadership and inspired millions of younger voters.

While Sanders never won the nomination, his ideas have had a lasting influence. Policies such as Medicare for All, student debt relief, and universal childcare have moved from the political fringes into mainstream Democratic debate.

Obama’s latest comments appear to acknowledge that shift. While he stopped short of endorsing socialism as an ideology, his message was clear: Democrats must adapt to the energy and priorities of a new generation.

“Political coalitions evolve,” said Dr. Elena Parker, a political scientist at the University of Michigan. “Obama is essentially saying that the Democratic Party can’t afford to freeze out its left flank. Whether or not he personally agrees with every socialist idea, he recognizes that movements like Mamdani’s are shaping the party’s future.”

A Warning and an Opportunity

Still, not everyone within the party agrees that embracing socialism is a winning strategy.

A Gallup poll released in September found that only 42% of Democrats view capitalism positively, compared to 66% who say they have a favorable view of socialism. Those numbers mark a dramatic reversal from just a decade ago, when capitalism still enjoyed majority support among Democrats.

Some party strategists see that shift as a sign of changing values; others see it as a looming political liability.

“Obama is trying to hold together a coalition that’s pulling apart at the seams,” said Chris Cillizza, political analyst and contributor for NewsNation. “There’s a real danger that if Democrats lean too far left, they’ll lose independents and moderates — especially in swing states that will decide the presidency in 2028.”

Cillizza noted on his YouTube channel that while socialist candidates like Mamdani can win in deep-blue cities, their policies are often unpopular nationally. “The Democratic brand still depends on being the big-tent party,” he said. “Obama understands that better than anyone. But the risk is that welcoming socialists might alienate voters in places like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, or Arizona.”

Bridging the Divide

Obama’s remarks may also reflect his understanding of the broader generational divide within the Democratic Party. Younger voters — particularly those under 35 — have been far more receptive to left-wing economic ideas than their older counterparts.

According to a Pew Research Center survey earlier this year, nearly 70% of voters under 30 said they favor policies like government-funded healthcare, housing assistance, and expanded public transit — all central pillars of the progressive agenda.

In contrast, only 38% of Democrats over 50 supported those same policies.

Obama, who has often positioned himself as a pragmatist rather than an ideologue, appears to be calling for balance: a party that can listen to socialist voices without alienating moderate ones.

“He’s not telling Democrats to become socialists,” said political historian James Whitfield. “He’s telling them to stop pretending that socialists aren’t part of the conversation.”

A New Coalition Taking Shape

Mamdani’s victory — alongside wins by moderate Democrats like Abigail Spanberger in Virginia — offers a snapshot of the Democratic Party’s future: a diverse, sometimes uneasy coalition of pragmatists and idealists.

Obama’s acknowledgment of both figures in the same breath was deliberate. It was a reminder that, for all their differences, both represent parts of a broader Democratic story — one rooted in expanding opportunity and inclusion.

“We can argue about the details,” Obama said on the podcast. “But at the end of the day, what people care about is whether government is helping them build a better life. If we can keep that focus — if we can make room for each other — that’s how we win.”

Whether Obama’s vision for unity can withstand the growing ideological rift remains to be seen. But his comments signal that the party’s elder statesmen are beginning to accept what many activists already believe: that the Democratic coalition is changing, and socialists are no longer fringe players, but part of the movement’s core.

Looking Ahead to 2028

With President Trump currently in his second term, Democrats are already turning their attention to 2028 — an election that could define the party’s identity for a generation.

Progressive leaders like Mamdani, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) are expected to push for a platform centered on economic justice, workers’ rights, and climate action. Meanwhile, moderates like Spanberger and Gretchen Whitmer will likely argue for a more centrist approach focused on fiscal responsibility and coalition-building.

Obama’s latest comments suggest that, rather than choosing between these camps, he believes Democrats must find a way to unite them.

“The Democrats who figure out how to do that,” said Whitfield, “will be the ones who define the next era of American politics.”