by Adam Pack and Andi Shae Napier
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday endorsed Zohran Mamdani as New York’s next mayor after months of dodging questions about his stance on the 34-year-old Democratic socialist.
The minority leader issued a written endorsement of Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for mayor, less than a day before early voting began. Jeffries’ public show of support comes after Democratic New York Republican Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders – two figures widely seen as leaders of the party’s far-left flank – sharply criticized the minority leader for dragging his feet on the endorsement.
“Zohran Mamdani has maintained a relentless focus on solving the affordability crisis and has made a clear commitment to be a mayor for all New Yorkers, including those who do not support his candidacy,” Jeffries wrote in a statement to the New York Times. “In that spirit, I support him and the entire citywide Democratic ticket in the general election.”
Jeffries also justified his “11th Hour” endorsement by rejecting President Donald Trump, describing him as an “existential” threat to the party.
National Democrats, including Jeffries, are reluctant to join Mamdani upset over former Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the June primary.
But a growing number of Democrats have come forward annotations in recent weeks, as Mamdani’s commanding lead in the polls appears insurmountable and he tries to soften some of his previously held positions.
Mamdani covered up this early reluctance in a statement issued Friday afternoon in response to the endorsement.
“This campaign has always been about bringing people together to improve the quality of life for every New Yorker,” he said. “I welcome Leader Jeffries’ support and look forward to building a city government and building a Democratic Party relentlessly committed to our affordability agenda and to fighting Trump’s authoritarianism. Our movement to turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas grows stronger by the day.”
Many GOP strategists see Mayor Mamdani’s likely victory as a potential gift to Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. Trump and other Republican Party leaders have sharply criticized the prominent Democrat’s far-left policies, with the president repeatedly calling him a “communist.”
The National Republican Congressional Committee, the House Republicans’ campaign arm, sharply criticized Jeffries for endorsing Mamdani’s mayoral campaign less than a day before early voting begins.
“So-called ‘leader’ Hakeem Jeffries has officially surrendered to Zohran Mamdani and the socialist mob that now runs the Democrat Party,” NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella said in a statement. “Their far-left takeover has destroyed Democrats’ hopes of retaking the House and turned their agenda into pure electoral poison.”
Following Jeffries’ endorsement, the New York Republican Party also issued a scathing statement.
“In an act of extreme cowardice and capitulation, the Democratic congressional minority leader has just cast his lot in with an openly communist, anti-Semitic, police-bashing, and globalizing intifada extremist,” said Ed Cox, chairman of the New York Republican Party. “Every elected Democrat – in New York and across the country – must answer this question: Do you support Zohran Mamdani, or do you support the principles on which our republic was founded?”
RNC spokeswoman Delanie Bomar also weighed in, saying in a statement that Jeffries’ endorsement will only facilitate Republicans. “Thank you, Hakeem Jeffries, for your in-kind contribution,” Bomar said. “He made our lives easier by directly connecting every vulnerable Democrat to the out-of-touch policies of socialist Mamdani.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has not yet endorsed Mamdani, but has repeatedly told reporters that he will continue talks with the democratic socialist.
New York Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs said the party would not endorse Mamdani. Jacobs said he was breaking up with Hochul Policywho would resign from his position if the voivode requested it.
“If the governor ever asks any state chair to resign, they should resign,” Jacobs told the website.
Currently, Mamdani has a significant advantage over Cuomo. According to The New York Times, all the latest surveys showed Mamdani a double-digit point lead over the former New York governor.
The race for mayor of New York will take place on November 4.
Last Friday, Mamdani was seen campaigning at the mosque next door Siraj Wahhaj — a Muslim cleric who, among other things, according to prosecutors, “could be accused of co-conspiracy” in the attack on the World Trade Center in 1993, in which six people died and over 1,000 were injured.
– – –
Adam Pack and Andi Shae Napier are reporters for the Daily Caller News Foundation. Zachery Schmidt is a digital editor Star News Network and contributed to this story.
Cover photo “Zohran Mamdani” by Zohran Mamdani.
