Hakeem Jeffries endorses Zohran Mamdani for NYC mayor
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 10. Photo: Kent Nishimura/Getty Images
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Friday endorsed Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor after months of declining to weigh in on the race.
Why it matters: Jeffries' foot dragging created a rift between him and his left flank, with some progressive members privately grumbling and several Democratic candidates even citing it as their reason for not supporting him as leader.
- Jeffries had held off, sources said, due to both genuinely held policy disagreements with Mamdani and out of a desire to protect his battleground-district members.
- But progressives have warned that Jeffries' eleventh-hour endorsement may not be enough to repair the damage to his relationship with the left.
What they're saying: Jeffries, in a statement first reported by the New York Times, said he "deeply" respects the "will of the primary voters and the young people who have been inspired to participate in the electoral process."
- He said he supports Mamdani's "strong commitment to building a City where everyday New Yorkers can afford to live," though he added that there should be a "meaningful partnership with the private sector to dramatically increase the supply of affordable homes."
- He also praised Mamdani for committing to keep on New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
- "I support him and the entire citywide Democratic ticket in the general election," Jeffries said of Mamdani.
"I welcome Leader Jeffries' support and look forward to delivering a city government, and building a Democratic Party, relentlessly committed to our affordability agenda — and to fighting Trump's authoritarianism," Mamdani said in a statement.
- "Our movement to turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas grows stronger by the day," he added.
The intrigue: Several centrist House Democrats from New York have pointedly declared that they won't endorse Mamdani due to his left-wing policy positions.
- His endorsement came just ahead of the start of early voting on Saturday.
The other side: "So-called 'Leader' Hakeem Jeffries has officially surrendered to Zohran Mamdani and the socialist mob now running the Democrat Party," National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Mike Marinella, said in a statement to Axios.
- "Their far-left takeover has torched Democrats' hopes of retaking the House and turned their agenda into pure electoral poison," Marinella added.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
