Top House Dem Hakeem Jeffries Endorses Mamdani Despite Refusal To Call Terrorists to Disarm

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday formally endorsed Zohran Mamdani, the far-left socialist who shocked Democrats earlier this year by winning the party’s nomination for New York City mayor.

In a statement to The New York Times, Jeffries, D-N.Y., acknowledged “areas of principled disagreement” with Mamdani but said the candidate 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.”

“In that spirit, I support him and the entire citywide Democratic ticket in the general election,” Jeffries said, lending his backing to a figure whose record of praising Hamas sympathizers and refusing to denounce violent rhetoric has alarmed many Jewish voters.

Jeffries’ endorsement follows months of hesitation and evasion. Since Mamdani unexpectedly defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo in June’s primary, the Democratic leader had repeatedly avoided saying whether he would support him. Cuomo, now running as an independent, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa will face Mamdani in next month’s general election.

Even as recently as Sunday, Jeffries told ABC News’ “This Week” that he and Mamdani had “good conversations” but declined to endorse him. “We’ve had very good conversations… focused on, in particular, his efforts to make New York City more affordable,” Jeffries said. “That’s the right issue to focus on.”

Speaking to reporters Friday at the Capitol, Jeffries denied claims that he had refused to take a position. “I have not refused to endorse. I have refused to articulate my position, and I will momentarily,” he said, just one day before early voting begins.

Back in June, Jeffries admitted that he and Mamdani “don’t really know each other well.” At the time, he also addressed widespread concerns in the Jewish community over Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the slogan “Globalize the Intifada” — a chant associated with waves of deadly uprisings against Jewish and Israeli civilians. “With respect to the Jewish communities that I represent, I think our nominee is going to have to convince folks that he is prepared to aggressively address the rise in antisemitism,” Jeffries told ABC News then.

Mamdani, who has openly expressed solidarity with anti-Israel protesters and socialist groups that glorify Hamas supporters, and expressed love for jailed Hamas donors, has stood by his refusal to denounce that chant. After his primary win, he told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that mayors shouldn’t “police speech.” Later, The New York Times reported that Mamdani quietly told business leaders he would “discourage” use of the phrase — an apparent attempt at damage control.

Many prominent Democrats have similarly hesitated to align with Mamdani’s extreme positions. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has so far withheld his endorsement, while Governor Kathy Hochul only came around in September after “months of deliberation.” In her New York Times essay announcing her support, Hochul wrote, “I’ve had frank conversations with him. We’ve had our disagreements,” and said she emphasized the “need to combat the rise of antisemitism urgently and unequivocally.”