Rep. Hakeem Jeffries endorsed Zohran Mamdani for NYC mayor, ending a months-long wait to get behind the Democratic nominee.
Citing the necessity for unity towards President Trump, Jeffries stated he’ll vote for Mamdani within the Nov. 4 basic election wherein he’s vying towards Republican Curtis Sliwa and ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who’s working as an unbiased.
“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 an announcement first reported by the New York Occasions.
“In that spirit, I support him and the entire citywide Democratic ticket in the general election,” Jeffries stated, including that he maintains “areas of principled disagreement.” with Mamdani.
Jeffries, who represents a central Brooklyn congressional district, didn’t seem in particular person to ship the endorsement.
Anna Rose Layden/Getty Photographs
Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries speaks to the press on the Capitol on October 17. (Picture by Anna Rose Layden/Getty Photographs)
The assertion launched after lunchtime because the Capitol emptied out on Friday afternoon fulfills Jeffries’ longstanding vow to make his emotions recognized earlier than early voting begins Saturday.
Mamdani sparred this week with Cuomo and Sliwa within the ultimate debate. Mayor Adams, who pulled the plug on his personal sputtering reelection marketing campaign, backed Cuomo, citing the necessity to block Mamdani from successful Gracie Mansion.
Mamdani was all the time favored to win Jeffries’ nod after he trounced Cuomo within the June main, regardless that the 2 males symbolize very totally different wings of the Democratic Occasion.
A fresh-faced self-proclaimed Democratic socialist, Mamdani has electrified younger folks with a message of progressive change. He’s a harsh critic of Israel and the battle in Gaza.
Jeffries alternatively has molded himself as the final word occasion insider and hopes to change into Speaker of the Home if Democrats can retake the Home of Representatives in subsequent 12 months’s midterm election.
That submit requires him to contemplate how stances like Mamdani’s will play in average and swing suburban and heartland districts removed from the 5 boroughs.
The belated endorsement caps a principally profitable effort by Mamdani to get New York’s Democratic energy brokers to line up behind his Gracie Mansion bid.
Most institution Democratic elected officers who supported Cuomo within the main shortly shifted to assist Mamdani after his convincing main win and caught with him even after Cuomo introduced plans to run as an unbiased.
Barry Williams/ New York Every day Information
Zohran Mamdani offers Gov. Kathy Hochul a hug in throughout a ceremony in Astoria asserting funding for enlargement for the Selection Boys and Women Membership on Oct. 14. (Barry Williams/ New York Every day Information)
Gov. Hochul, a average who’s in search of to shore up her left flank forward of a reelection bid subsequent 12 months, lately endorsed Mamdani.
Sen. Chuck Schumer has taken the same stance to Jeffries, emphasizing frequent floor with Mamdani with out issuing a proper endorsement.
A spokesman for Schumer didn’t reply to questions on his plans for a potential endorsement.
