NYC Mayor’s Race: Hakeem Jeffries endorses Zohran Mamdani months after Democratic primary

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries threw his support on Friday to Zohran Mamdani in the ongoing mayoral election, months after the Democratic socialist won the party’s nomination.

The Brooklyn Democrat, who has frequently criticized the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), of which Mamdani is a member, issued a statement Friday afternoon announcing his support of the Mamdani campaign, stating that he “deeply respects” the will of the primary voters. He cited Mamdani’s commitment to addressing the city’s affordability crisis as his primary reason for supporting the nominee.

Jeffries had faced pressure to endorse Mamdani after the Queens Assembly convincingly defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo by almost 13 percentage points in the June primary, but had frequently declined to endorse a candidate ahead of Friday’s announcement.

The House Minority Leader acknowledged that he had areas of “principled disagreement” with Mamdani but emphasized the Democratic nominee’s commitment to serving as a mayor for all New Yorkers.

“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 a statement issued on Oct. 24.

Jeffries said working-class neighborhoods of color had been hurt by gentrification for decades, and said Mamdani has committed to building a city where all residents can afford to live.

He also pointed to Mamdani’s willingness to retain the current police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, in his administration, describing that commitment as the “approach that the 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 added.

The Congress member also endorsed “the entire Democratic ticket” and emphasized the need for the Democratic Party to show a united front in the face of attacks from the Trump Administration on New York City.

Mamdani has welcomed the endorsement, as noted in a statement sent to amNewYork.

“This campaign has always been about bringing people together to improve the quality of life for every New Yorker,” Mamdani said. “I welcome Leader Jeffries’ support and look forward to delivering a city government, and building a Democratic Party, relentlessly committed to our affordability agenda — and to fighting Trump’s authoritarianism.”

Jeffries was one of several high-ranking Democrats who were slow to endorse Mamdani after he convincingly won the primary in June.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has yet to endorse a candidate ahead of the Nov. 4 election. Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York’s top Democrat, endorsed Mamdani in September, describing him as a leader who is focused on making New York City more affordable.

Hochul and Jeffries’ endorsements are signs of a major shift within the Democratic Party, with key leaders within the party crediting the 34-year-old for running a campaign focused on affordability.

Jeffries’ endorsement comes just one day before the beginning of early voting in the election and hands yet another boost to the Mamdani campaign, which is ahead by double-digit margins according to most election polls.