Jeffries Endorses Mamdani for NYC Mayor

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced a late endorsement of Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor after months of hesitation, giving the progressive Assemblymember a potentially decisive boost as early voting begins ahead of the Nov. 4 general election. Jeffries, a Brooklyn Democrat who has criticized the Democratic Socialists of America, said he respected the primary voters’ choice, acknowledged “areas of principled disagreement,” and emphasized the need for party unity to counter what he called an existential threat from Donald Trump. Mamdani, a Queens assemblymember who won the June Democratic primary, has run on an affordability platform, drawn high-profile backers including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders and Governor Kathy Hochul, and would be the city's first Muslim mayor if elected. The race remains contested, with independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in the field, ongoing scrutiny and GOP attacks over Mamdani’s past controversial remarks, and accusations that Cuomo’s campaign has trafficked in Islamophobic rhetoric. Several senior New York Democrats, including some Senate leaders, have not yet endorsed, reflecting lingering establishment caution despite polls showing Mamdani with a sizable lead.