Zohran Mamdani finally scores support from top House Democrat

Finally, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday endorsed Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, ending months of waffling over whether the party establishment would finally come off the fence.

The nod, first reported by Policycomes just before early voting, which begins Saturday.

Jeffries had said earlier he would decide “well before” the start of early voting. But like The New York Times reported, the minority leader pushed back the announcement due to the government shutdown– a delay that has only fueled speculation about his political calculations.

This support carries weight since Jeffries, a Brooklyn Democrat, is a leader of the national partyone of the city’s most visible black politicians, and a long-standing critic Democratic Socialists of America, the group Mamdani belongs to.

In his statement to the Times, Jeffries said he and Mamdani didn’t agree on everything, but he made it clear the congressman won a “free and fair” primary. He framed the endorsement as a call for Democrats to close ranks against what he called an “existential” threat posed by President Donald Trump.

“Zohran Mamdani has focused relentlessly on solving the affordability crisis and has explicitly committed to being mayor for all New Yorkers, including those who do not support his candidacy,” Jeffries wrote. “With that in mind, I support him and the city’s entire Democratic slate in the general election.” »

Preparations for Friday’s announcement it was anything but smooth. Jeffries met with Mamdani twice in Brooklyn and dodged repeated questions from reporters, often deviating advising them to “stay tuned”.

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

Some moderates worry about Mamdani’s progressive policies could harm Democrats in swing districts, although Jeffries remains focused on regain the majority in the House in 2026.

Even after Mamdani defeated his main opponents in June, Jeffries kept the congressman at bay – until now. His long-awaited support 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 Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, seems unlikely to jump in.

Mamdani, 34, has conquered much of the party leadership, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul. In September, Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Pat Ryan of New York also approved him. But the question of Jeffries’ support has loomed over the race for months, with pressure fitting from local progressives and national Democrats, aware of the midterm issues.

“Congressman Mamdani promised to focus on the safety of all New Yorkers, including the Jewish community that has faced a surprising increase in anti-Semitic incidents as well as Black and Latino neighborhoods that have struggled for years with deadly gun violence,” Jeffries told the Times.

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

This approval is a blow to disgraced former governor 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 far behind in the polls.

Cuomo picked one up notable donor this week: Mayor Eric Adams, who gave up his bid for re-election amid scandals and poor poll results. Adams warned that Mamdani’s ideology could put the city in danger.

Public survey shows Mamdani entering the final straight of the race in a strong position. Cuomo’s path looks increasingly narrow as long as Republican Curtis Sliwa remains in office stay in the racesiphoning off anti-Mamdani voters.

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

After months of delay, the political maneuvering is over. With Jeffries’ support, the Democratic establishment is finally recognizing what polls have long clearly shown: Mamdani is the front-runner and likely the next mayor of New York.