Zohran Mamdani finally scores support from top House Democrat

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 23:33:11 GMT

At long last, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday endorsed Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, ending months of hand-wringing over whether the party establishment would finally get off the fence.

The nod, first reported by Politico, lands just ahead of early voting, which begins Saturday.

Jeffries had said earlier he would weigh in “well before” the start of early voting. But as The New York Times reported, the minority leader pushed the announcement back because of the ongoing government shutdown—a delay that only fueled speculation about his political calculus.

The backing carries weight since Jeffries, a Brooklyn Democrat, is a national party leader, one of the city’s most visible Black politicians, and a long-time critic of the Democratic Socialists of America, the group Mamdani belongs to.

In his statement to The Times, Jeffries said he and Mamdani don’t see eye to eye on everything, but he made clear that the assemblyman had won a “free and fair” primary. He cast the endorsement as a call for Democrats to close ranks against what he called an “existential” threat posed by President Donald Trump.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, shown in December 2024.

“Zohran Mamdani has relentlessly focused on addressing the affordability crisis and explicitly committed to being a mayor for all New Yorkers, including those who do not support his candidacy,” Jeffries wrote. “In that spirit, I support him and the entire citywide Democratic ticket in the general election.”

The lead-up to Friday’s announcement was anything but smooth. Jeffries met twice with Mamdani in Brooklyn and dodged repeated questions from reporters, often deflecting by advising them to “stay tuned.”

Jeffries’ office did not respond to Daily Kos’ request for comment.

Some moderates worry Mamdani’s progressive politics could hurt Democrats in swing districts, even as Jeffries keeps his focus on reclaiming the House majority in 2026.

Even after Mamdani trounced his primary opponents in June, Jeffries kept the assemblyman at arm’s length—until now. His long-awaited endorsement now leaves Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as the last major New York Democrat still sitting on the sidelines.

Other New York Democrats, like New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, appear unlikely to jump in.

Mamdani, 34, has won over much of the party’s leadership, including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. In September, Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Pat Ryan of New York also endorsed him. But the question of Jeffries’ support has loomed over the race for months, with pressure mounting from both local progressives and national Democrats mindful of the midterm stakes.

“Assemblyman Mamdani has promised to focus on keeping every New Yorker safe, including the Jewish community that has confronted a startling rise in antisemitic incidents as well as Black and Latino neighborhoods that have battled deadly gun violence for years,” Jeffries told The Times.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, center, speaks during a mayoral debate with independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani on Oct. 16 in New York City.

Jeffries also faces potential political pressure at home. Forces aligned with Mamdani could mount a left-wing primary challenge in Jeffries’ central Brooklyn district—a prospect the congressman has said he would welcome.

The endorsement is a blow to disgraced former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as a third-party candidate after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani. Cuomo has tried to exploit party divisions to rally moderates, independents, and Republicans against Mamdani, but he remains a distant second in the polls.

Cuomo did pick up one notable backer this week: Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped his reelection bid amid scandals and low polling numbers. Adams warned that Mamdani’s ideology could put the city at risk.

Public polling shows Mamdani entering the race’s final stretch in a strong position. Cuomo’s path looks increasingly narrow as long as Republican Curtis Sliwa remains in the race, siphoning off anti-Mamdani voters.

On Friday, Jeffries emphasized Mamdani’s commitment to building more housing and lowering costs in “working-class neighborhoods of color that have been hurt by gentrification and housing displacement.”

After months of delay, the political maneuvering is over. With Jeffries’ endorsement, the Democratic establishment is finally acknowledging what polls have long made clear: Mamdani is the frontrunner and likely the next mayor of New York City.

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 23:32:33 GMT

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Zohran Mamdani finally scores support from top House Democrat