Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani met with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Rep. Yvette Clarke and more than a dozen clergy leaders in Brooklyn Tuesday afternoon, though Jeffries has yet to announce whether he’ll back Mamdani.
The Mamdani campaign said the hour-and-a-half meeting, which took place in a church, was productive and thoughtful.
“They engaged in a wide-ranging discussion on a number of issues including the urgent affordability crisis and the exodus of Black New Yorkers from the five boroughs — and Zohran shared his agenda to make sure every New Yorker can afford to continue to call this city home and live a life of dignity,” said Dora Pekec, a spokeswoman for Mamdani.
While Mamdani has won the support of many powerful unions and some party leaders since winning the June primary, some, including Jeffries, have been holding out.
Jeffries has been hesitant to throw his weight behind the candidate, and he has expressed concerns about Mamdani’s pro-Palestinian stance. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Gov. Hochul have also withheld their endorsements of Mamdani.
“I came with an open mind,” Clarke told NY1 as she headed into the meeting, adding that she did not yet have a timeline for any endorsements in the mayoral race.
Mamdani and Jeffries previously met in July. At the time, they said there were plans to meet again with other representatives and community leaders.
The democratic socialist candidate’s upset primary victory shocked much of the political establishment. Since June, Mamdani has met with elected officials and business leaders to assuage their concerns about his left-leaning politics and populist campaign promises.
Originally Published: August 26, 2025 at 5:57 PM EDT