WASHINGTON (TNND) — House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) shared that he will be meeting with New York City mayoral Democratic primary winner Zohran Mamdani.
“I’m scheduled to meet with him next week and we’ll have a conversation about his vision,” Jeffries said on ABC’s “The View” on Monday. “He did run a campaign that was actually focused largely on affordability, and that was the right issue to focus on because New York City’s too expensive. America right now is too expensive.”
Mamdani, a self-described Democrat socialist, ran on a campaign promising New Yorkers free bus rides, government run grocery stores, and more affordable housing through enacting rent freezes. He won with 56% of the vote, beating former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo who captured 44% of the vote.
Both Jeffries and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer offered their congratulations to Zohran but stopped short of granting him a nomination.
“Congratulations to Zohran Mamdani on a decisive primary victory,” Jeffries wrote on X. “Assemblyman Mamdani ran a strong campaign that relentlessly focused on the economy and bringing down the high cost of living in New York City.”
Zohran received the endorsement of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (R-NY), who played a pivotal role in ensuring that far left progressive groups were coordinated in their support of Zohran.
Jeffries had previously come to Zohran’s defense when President Donald Trump attacked him, accusing Zohran of being a “communist lunatic.”
“Stop lying about Assemblyman Mamdani. He is neither a communist nor a lunatic,” Jeffries posted on X. “And New York City doesn’t need to be saved by a wannabe King. Besides, you are too busy destroying America with your One Big Ugly Bill to do anything else.”
The New York City mayoral election will be November 4, 2025.