...
By Sonam Sheth
Evening Politics Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries brushed off a recent CNN report that said people in New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's camp are looking to primary Jeffries and other House Democrats in the city.
The Context
Mamdani, a 33-year-old New York state assemblyman and democratic socialist, is the Democratic nominee in the New York City mayor's race. His triumph in the primary emboldened the progressive wing of the party and ignited fierce intra-party debate about Democratic priorities and whether they're doing enough to push back on President Donald Trump's agenda.
Read More on Politics
Those tensions were laid bare on Wednesday on CNN, which said some of Mamdani's progressive allies want to unseat Jeffries and other high-profile Democratic lawmakers, including Representatives Jerry Nadler, Dan Goldman, Yvette Clark and Ritchie Torres.
Jeffries, as the House Democratic leader, faces the dual challenge of maintaining party unity and fending off primary challenges from the left while preparing for the general election fight against Republicans in next year's midterms.
...
What To Know
The minority leader addressed CNN's reporting during an interview with Wolf Blitzer on Wednesday, saying: "I have no idea what these people are talking about. We are going to continue to focus our efforts as we did on the House floor in connection with Donald Trump's one big, ugly bill on pushing back against the extremism that has been unleashed on the American people."
The New York Democrat went on to emphasize party unity, saying that "it's clear to us, as House Democrats, it's clear to us as members of the New York City delegation, that the problem is Donald Trump and House Republicans who have launched this unprecedented assault on the American way of life and assault on health care."
Jeffries was referring to the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which delivers on Trump's biggest priorities—including immigration enforcement and tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy—by slashing funding for critical safety net programs like Medicaid and food assistance.
The bill passed the Republican-controlled Senate and House and was signed into law by Trump on July 4.
"They're ripping food out of the mouths of children, veterans and seniors," Jeffries said of the bill. "They're exploding the national debt. They're unleashing masked agents on law-abiding immigrant communities. It shouldn't be too difficult for some people to figure out who the problem is in the United States of America."
André Richardson, a senior adviser to Jeffries, struck a more combative tone, telling CNN that "Leader Hakeem Jeffries is focused on taking back the House from the MAGA extremists who just ripped health care away from millions of Americans.
"However, if Team Gentrification wants a primary fight, our response will be forceful and unrelenting. We will teach them and all of their incumbents a painful lesson on June 23, 2026."
By calling Mamdani's allies "Team Gentrification," Richardson was likely referencing the fact that the New York state assemblyman won the support of younger progressives who are whiter and wealthier than most of the residents in districts where incumbent Democrats are being targeted.
What People Are Saying
Mamdani said on Wednesday: "I am so excited at the prospect of working alongside leaders...who have understood the fight of affordability to be the central fight of our time and doing so alongside the need to fight back against the authoritarian administration in Washington, DC. That includes Governor Kathy Hochul, who is laser-focused on that affordability while also being able to stand up and fight back against President Trump's attempts to attack the very fabric of this city."
He added: "And that also includes leaders who have been representing this city and this state for years including Congressmember Hakeem Jeffries [and] Senator Chuck Schumer ... Ultimately, the way that we win this affordability is by understanding that partnership is at the core of this. And I see that partnership already in Governor Hochul, in Senator Schumer, in Congressmember Jeffries and that is a partnership I look to build on each and every day."
What Happens Next
Mamdani won the Democratic mayoral primary, defeating former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo after three rounds of voting. He secured the most votes ever recorded in an NYC mayoral primary and will face off against Cuomo, Republican Curtis Sliwa and current NYC mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent, in November.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines