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.
Photograph: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name/Getty Pictures
He made it slightly 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 social gathering 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 social gathering to unite at a time when President Donald Trump poses an “existential” risk to the town.
“I deeply respect the desire of the first voters and the younger individuals who have been impressed to take part within the electoral course of. Zohran Mamdani has relentlessly centered on addressing the affordability disaster and explicitly dedicated to being a mayor for all New Yorkers, together with those that don’t assist his candidacy,” he mentioned. “Collectively, together with Mark Levine and Jumaane Williams, they gained the nominations for Mayor, Comptoller and Public Advocate in a free and honest election. In that spirit, I assist him and your complete citywide Democratic ticket within the common election.”
In an announcement, Mamdani mentioned, “I welcome Chief Jeffries’ assist and sit up for delivering a metropolis authorities, and constructing a Democratic Get together, 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 desperate 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 in opposition to 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 assist forward of the final election.
Whereas there have been some fast pickups, together with Representatives Jerry Nadler, Adriano Espaillat and Nydia Velázquez, Jeffries and Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer have been two distinguished outliers as they each congratulated Mamdani on his win however appeared hesitant to throw their assist behind him. Mamdani joined Jeffries within the chief’s dwelling district in Brooklyn for a assembly that Jeffries’s workforce 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 assist from Governor Kathy Hochul, State Senate Majority Chief Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and his present boss, Meeting Speaker Carl Heastie, as Jeffries hinted {that a} resolution could be coming previous to the beginning of early voting on October 25. The Democratic chief additionally sounded extra complimentary of Mamdani in current interviews, applauding his intention to ask NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch to remain on in her position if elected mayor.
Jeffries’s endorsement comes simply in the future after Mayor Eric Adams threw his assist 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 go well with together with his personal assertion of assist. 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.
