Jeffries Delays Endorsement in NYC Mayoral Race

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries from New York has not yet made any comments regarding the New York mayoral race, despite having set a deadline for himself to do so before early voting starts on Saturday morning.

During a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, top House Democrats were repeatedly asked about their support for Democratic Socialist candidate Zoran Mamdani.

Jeffries has frequently mentioned he would address the race before early voting kicks off, which is set for Saturday at 9 a.m. ET. When asked if he intended to support Mamdani, he simply replied, “Please look forward to it.”

Later, when pressed about his reluctance to endorse Mamdani, Jeffries clarified, “I’m not refusing to endorse it. I’m just holding off on formally stating my position. I plan to share it shortly ahead of early voting.”

A reporter then inquired if Jeffries believed that his hesitation to endorse could cause a rift in the Democratic Party. He responded, “I’ve traveled across the country and have seen the Democratic Party more united this year than ever.” He didn’t specifically mention New York, though.

When further questioned about why he waited until the last moment to gauge the race, Jeffries was short with his answer: “This question has been addressed multiple times already.”

It’s essential to note that Jeffries could not publicly endorse a candidate at the press conference, as political statements and requests are prohibited on Capitol grounds.

Mamdani is currently leading the race against Republican Curtis Sliwa and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent. He enjoys backing from several progressives in Congress, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as prominent Democrats like Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

On Friday afternoon, Jeffries announced that he would endorse Mamdani later that day.