Dem House Leader Hakeem Jeffries Still Withholds Endorsement After Meeting With Zohran Mamdani

After gathering pinch starring New York City mayoral contender Zohran Mamdani, Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., issued a lukewarm connection done a spokesperson astir nan gathering and did not endorse his party's nominee.

Mamdani, a New York authorities assemblyman and self-proclaimed socialist who has promised to overhaul New York City and motorboat monolithic caller authorities programs, has been endorsed by progressive politicians for illustration Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. 

Despite winning nan Democratic Party’s information complete erstwhile New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo by a wide margin, Mamdani has yet to beryllium endorsed by nan party’s apical leaders, Jeffries and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Jeffries and Mamdani met successful New York City for astir an hr Friday.

After nan meeting, Politico newsman Nicholas Wu posted a statement from Jeffries spokesperson Justin Chermol that called it "constructive" but did not see immoderate mention of an endorsement.

AOC WELCOMES SOCIALIST MAMDANI TO NATION'S CAPITAL AS DEM LEADERS WITHHOLD ENDORSEMENTS

Zohran Mamdani, left, is moving for politician of New York City. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is connected nan right.  (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu; Kevin Dietsch )

Chermol said "the gathering betwixt Leader Jeffries and Assemblyman Mamdani was constructive, candid and community-centered, pinch peculiar attraction connected affordability.

"Leader Jeffries and Assemblyman Mamdani discussed a assortment of different important issues, including nationalist safety, rising antisemitism, gentrification and nan value of taking backmost nan House successful 2026."

According to Chermol’s statement, nan 2 "agreed to reconvene shortly, alongside different members of nan New York City legislature delegation and a fewer high-level organization leaders."

MAMDANI SPARKS SOCIAL MEDIA FRENZY WITH VIRAL CLIP DISCUSSING WHAT HAPPENS IF HE RUNS OUT OF MONEY

Democratic mayoral campaigner Zohran Mamdani speaks during a rally astatine nan Hotel & Gaming Trades Council office successful New York July 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Mamdani is seen by galore arsenic a arguable candidate, partially owed to his socialist argumentation proposals and dense disapproval of nan authorities of Israel. Mamdani, who is Muslim, has declined to opportunity whether Israel has nan correct to beryllium arsenic a Jewish authorities and his first refusal to condemn nan building "globalize nan intifada." However, he precocious began distancing himself from nan phrase. 

On Thursday, Jeffries told reporters "as has been nan lawsuit pinch each azygous high-profile endorsement determination that I've made successful nan past, I person a sit-down conversation, and past I return it from there."

The gathering pinch Jeffries comes aft Mamdani’s caller sojourn to Washington, D.C., wherever he attended a meal hosted by Ocasio-Cortez and mingled pinch immoderate of nan party’s astir powerful players. Since then, he secured nan endorsement of Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who serves arsenic nan ranking personnel of nan House Armed Services Committee.

BIPARTISAN HOUSE RESOLUTION AIMS TO CONDEMN PHRASE THAT'S CREATED FIRESTORM FOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI

New York City mayoral candidates Zohran Mamdani, Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa. (Getty Images)

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Mamdani is moving to unseat nan existent politician of New York City, Eric Adams, who is moving for re-election arsenic an independent. He is besides facing disconnected against Cuomo, who is moving arsenic an independent, and activistic Curtis Sliwa, who is nan Republican Party nominee.

Fox News Digital's Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.