Hakeem Jeffries denies report that he believes Dems will lose bid to retake House if Zohran Mamdani wins in NYC

Veteran political reporter Mark Halperin claimed this week that House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is among those alarmed by Mamdani. According to Halperin, “Hakeem Jeffries strongly believes that if Mamdani wins, he [Jeffries] can’t win the majority,” citing sources “who’ve spoken directly with the leader," per the New York Post.

A spokesperson for Jeffries rejected that characterization. Christiana Stephenson told journalist Ken Klippenstein the claim is “patently false.”

Mamdani being in the race has stirred division within the Democratic Party, with figures like Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) distancing the broader party from Mamdani’s platform.

“Look, the mayor of New York has never, never, ever been the leader of the Democratic Party,” Smith said, per The Hill. “Mamdani isn’t speaking for our party, any more than I’m speaking for our party. It’s a big tent. It’s a big coalition.”

Jeffries himself has declined to endorse Mamdani and reportedly sidesteps questions from reporters. “I don’t know him well,” he has said.

Mamdani, a socialist and rising figure in the party’s progressive, far left side, has drawn controversy for his radical policy positions. He has called for the “abolition of private property,” stating, “If there was any system that could guarantee each person housing, whether you call it the abolition of private property, or you call it a statewide housing guarantee, it is preferable to what is going on right now.”

He has also proposed removing police from domestic violence emergency calls, a stance that has faced bipartisan criticism.

Despite winning the Democratic primary, Mamdani’s candidacy continues to expose deep ideological rifts within the party.