Jeffries Endorses Mamdani within the Most Tepid Means Doable

Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., conducts a information convention concerning the authorities shutdown on the Home steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, October 23, 2025.
Picture: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name/Getty Photos

He made it just below the wire.

On Friday, Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries lastly introduced his endorsement of Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani following months of anticipation and hours forward of the celebration chief’s personal self-imposed deadline of the beginning of early voting.

Jeffries made it official in an announcement to the New York Occasions by which he famous that whereas he and Mamdani had “areas of principled disagreement,” it was essential for the celebration to unite at a time when President Donald Trump poses an “existential” risk to the town.

“I deeply respect the need of the first voters and the younger individuals who have been impressed to take part within the electoral course of. Zohran Mamdani has relentlessly targeted on addressing the affordability disaster and explicitly dedicated to being a mayor for all New Yorkers, together with those that don’t help his candidacy,” he mentioned. “Collectively, together with Mark Levine and Jumaane Williams, they received the nominations for Mayor, Comptoller and Public Advocate in a free and truthful election. In that spirit, I help him and the complete citywide Democratic ticket within the normal election.”

In an announcement, Mamdani mentioned, “I welcome Chief Jeffries’ help and stay up for delivering a metropolis authorities, and constructing a Democratic Social gathering, relentlessly dedicated to our affordability agenda — and to preventing Trump’s authoritarianism.”

Many speculated whether or not the Home minority chief would endorse Mamdani in any respect, as many Republicans throughout the aisle appeared wanting to tie the democratic socialist candidate to the extra reasonable Jeffries and different Home Democrats. After Mamdani shocked the native political world following his main upset towards former governor Andrew Cuomo, all eyes quickly turned to the New York congressional delegation and state management as the brand new Democratic nominee sought to coalesce help forward of the final election.

Whereas there have been some speedy pickups, together with Representatives Jerry Nadler, Adriano Espaillat and Nydia Velázquez, Jeffries and Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer had been two distinguished outliers as they each congratulated Mamdani on his win however appeared hesitant to throw their help behind him. Mamdani joined Jeffries within the chief’s house district in Brooklyn for a assembly that Jeffries’s crew described as “constructive, candid and community-centered, with a selected concentrate on affordability,” however nonetheless an endorsement didn’t emerge from the hour-long dialog.

Within the months that adopted, Mamdani picked up help from Governor Kathy Hochul, State Senate Majority Chief Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and his present boss, Meeting Speaker Carl Heastie, as Jeffries hinted {that a} choice can be coming previous to the beginning of early voting on October 25. The Democratic chief additionally sounded extra complimentary of Mamdani in latest interviews, applauding his intention to ask NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch to remain on in her function if elected mayor.

Jeffries’s endorsement comes simply at some point after Mayor Eric Adams threw his help behind his onetime mayoral rival Cuomo with the intention of bolstering the previous governor’s possibilities of defeating Mamdani. It’s not but clear if Schumer will quickly comply with swimsuit together with his personal assertion of help. This week, CNN reported that the Senate minority chief mentioned he was nonetheless having conversations with Mamdani and declined to weigh in on the race at that second.