Hakeem Jeffries Finally Bends The Knee To Socialist Zohran Mamdani Ahead Of Early Voting

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday endorsed Zohran Mamdani to serve as the next mayor of New York City after months of dodging questions about his stance on the 34-year-old Democratic socialist.

The minority leader issued a written endorsement of Mamdani, the Democratic nominee in the mayoral contest, less than one day before the start of early voting. Jeffries’ public display of support comes after Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders — two figures widely viewed as the leaders of the party’s far-left flank — sharply criticized the minority leader for dragging his feet on an endorsement.

“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 wrote in a statement to the New York Times. “In that spirit, I support him and the entire citywide Democratic ticket in the general election.”

Jeffries also justified his eleventh-hour endorsement as a repudiation of President Donald Trump, describing him as an “existential” threat to the party.

National Democrats, including Jeffries, have been leery of embracing Mamdani following his upset over former Democratic New York governor Andrew Cuomo in the June primary contest.

However, a growing number of Democrats have rolled out endorsements in recent weeks as Mamdani’s commanding polling lead appears insurmountable and he attempts to moderate some of his previously held positions.

Mamdani glossed over that early reluctance in a statement on Friday afternoon responding to the endorsements.