October 25, 2025
After months of speculation, the House Democratic leader throws his support behind Mamdani, urging the party to unite against Trump’s influence.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents New York’s 8th congressional district, has endorsed Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor, marking a pivotal moment in a race that has divided Democrats and tested party unity.
Jeffries, one of the city’s most influential Black political figures, has often been critical of the Democratic Socialists of America, of which Mamdani is a member. Yet in a statement to The New York Times, Jeffries said that while the two have “areas of principled disagreement,” Mamdani earned his place as the nominee through a “free and fair” primary.
“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 said.
“In that spirit, I support him and the entire citywide Democratic ticket in the general election.”
The endorsement, announced just before early voting begins, follows weeks of internal debate. Sources close to Jeffries said he delayed his decision due to the ongoing government shutdown. His backing represents another major win for Mamdani, who has recently secured endorsements from Gov. Kathy Hochul and State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.
For Jeffries, the decision balances competing pressures from within his party. Some Democrats view Mamdani’s rise as proof that progressive energy can carry elections, while others worry his policies will become fodder for Republican attacks in the upcoming midterms.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old state assemblyman, welcomed the endorsement as validation of his campaign’s mission “to turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas.”
Jeffries’s decision also undercuts former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as a third-party candidate after losing the Democratic primary. Cuomo’s team reportedly tried to persuade Jeffries to withhold his endorsement, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
In recent weeks, Mamdani has sought to moderate his image, apologizing for past remarks about the police and clarifying his stance on Israel. He also pledged to retain Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch if elected — a move Jeffries praised as “the approach that this moment requires.”
“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 said.
With polls showing Mamdani leading as Election Day nears, Jeffries’s endorsement may signal a broader shift: a Democratic establishment willing, at least for now, to embrace the party’s left wing in the name of unity.
However, Mamdani’s popularity has sparked adversity.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated that he plans to endorse former NY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo in the city’s mayoral race, marking a surprising reconciliation after months of public hostility.
Adams, who ended his own re-election bid last month, had previously called Cuomo “a snake and a liar” for urging him to withdraw. The two appeared to have patched things up on Oct 22, sitting courtside together at the Knicks’ season opener.
Adams reveals that he intends to campaign with Cuomo in his strongest neighborhoods to help the former governor counter Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani’s growing momentum.
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