The campaign of New York City’s Democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani has dished out millions to the firm of a key media strategist that helped shape the media-buying strategy of former President Barack Obama’s campaigns.
Over the past few months, campaign finance records show the Mamdani team has disbursed over $3 million to the Los Angeles-based Debra Schommer Media Group for expenditures that were described as going toward television ads, TV production and digital advertising.
Schommer has more than 30 years of experience in the media planning and buying field, according to her website bio, and lists herself as a previous director of media planning and buying for AKPD Message and Media, a consulting firm started by Obama confidantes David Axelrod and David Plouffe.
Schommer’s website also touts her work managing and forming media strategies for political campaigns, including the presidential campaigns of Obama and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who unsuccessfully ran for president in 2020.
