Chi Ossé files paperwork to challenge Jeffries from the left
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New York City Council member Chi Ossé speaks outside a Starbucks in Brooklyn, New York during a union protest on Nov. 13. Photo: Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg via Getty Images
New York City Council member Chi Ossé filed paperwork Monday to run against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) for his Brooklyn-based congressional seat.
What he's saying: "The Democratic Party's leadership is not only failing to effectively fight back against Donald Trump, they have also failed to deliver a vision that we can all believe in," Ossé, who recently joined the Democratic Socialists of America, said in a statement to Axios.
- "These failures are some of the many reasons why I am currently exploring a potential run for New York's 8th Congressional District."
- Ossé, 27, is an ally of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and is known as a left wing voice in the New York City council.
- Axios was first to report that Ossé was considering a bid against Jeffries.
Driving the news: Ossé filed with the Federal Election Commission on Monday to run in the Democratic primary for New York's 8th district, which covers parts of South and East Brooklyn.
- His team also set up an Act Blue page for him to begin fundraising for his run.
- Ossé was first elected to the City Council in 2021 after previously working as a Black Lives Matter organizer and activist.
The other side: A Jeffries campaign spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
- Asked by Axios in October about a possible primary challenge from Ossé, Jeffries replied, "If you ask me a serious question, I'll give you a serious answer. And you know that's not a serious question based on everything coming out of Brooklyn."
- Asked again last week if he had a comment on reports by the New York Times and New York Post that Ossé was planning to run, Jeffries responded simply: "No."
The intrigue: Despite being a high-profile supporter of Mamdani, Ossé will likely run without the incoming mayor's support, at least for now.
- He has been privately discouraged by Mamdani and his team to run against Jeffries as the new mayor tries to build relationships with establishment Democrats and pass his agenda, sources tell Axios.
- "I believe that there are many ways right here in New York City to both deliver on an affordability agenda and take on the authoritarian administration in the White House," Mamdani told reporters on Monday.
Zoom out: Ossé's run would be part of a broader nationwide effort by younger and more progressive Democrats to oust incumbents they see as too old school or establishment oriented.
- Many of those insurgent candidates declined to commit to voting for Jeffries as leader or speaker — or outright said they would not do so — in interviews with Axios earlier this year.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reportaing.
