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Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said he didn’t see New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani as the future of the Democratic Party during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
Asked by CNN host Jake Tapper whether he believed Mamdani was the future of the party, Jeffries responded, “No, I think the future of the Democratic Party is going to fall, as far as we‘re concerned, relative to the House Democratic Caucus and members who are doing a great work all across the country as it relates to our need to both take back control of the House.”
Jeffries went on to criticize President Donald Trump and predict a positive turnout for Democrats in the elections on Tuesday in Virginia, New Jersey and California, citing Proposition 50.
Tapper pressed Jeffries, saying he didn’t really answer the question.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 30, 2025. Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks to reporters during a campaign event on Nov. 1, 2025, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. ( Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
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“Are you concerned about Republicans using him [Mamdani] as a lightning rod? So as to hurt your ability to win back the House in 2026?” Tapper asked.
Mamdani is set to face former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa on Tuesday. Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, is considered the frontrunner in the race.
“No, the lightning rod, in terms of what‘s going to impact the ability of either side to win control of the House or hold control of the House in 2026, is going to be the failure of Republicans to actually deliver on the promises that they‘ve made, and to actively make life worse for everyday Americans,” Jeffries said.
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks during a campaign rally at Forest Hills Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City on Oct. 26, 2025. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
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He added that Americans know the country is headed in the “wrong direction” and blamed it on Trump and the Republican Party.
Jeffries endorsed Mamdani in late October.
“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 said in the statement.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., hold a news conference on the GOP reconciliation bill at the Capitol in Washington on June 11, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)
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However, the House Minority leader also said in his statement that he has “areas of principled disagreement” with Mamdani.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has not endorsed Mamdani.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., criticized Schumer for not endorsing the Democratic socialist candidate on Thursday.
Omar was asked why she believed Schumer had withheld his support.
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“I really don‘t know. It makes no sense,” Omar said. “We as Democrats have always believed that, in an election, we support our party‘s nominee. Schumer has pressured other Democrats to do just that, and he should be following his own advice.”
