Hakeem Jeffries dodges question on whether Mamdani is future of Democratic Party

By Fox News · Fox News

Following Zohran Mamdani ’s decisive mayoral victory in New York City on Tuesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., dodged a question on whether the self-proclaimed Democratic socialist is the future of the Democratic Party. "You had record turnout in New York City for this election. Would you say that Mamdani is the future of the Democratic Party?" a reporter asked Jeffries during Wednesday's press conference on Capitol Hill. "Well, what Democrats have done all across the country is lean into the issue of affordability because of the fact that America's too expensive costs are too high, and Donald Trump and Republicans, not only have they not done anything about it, they've made it worse as a result of the Trump tariffs as a result of them detonating the clean energy economy," Jeffries responded. "That's why electricity bills are skyrocketing. And now, of course, they're forcing these dramatically increased health care premiums to be visited upon the American people," he added. SOCIALIST SHOCKWAVE: ZOHRAN MAMDANI STUNS NYC AS VOTERS HAND POWER TO DEMOCRATS’ FAR-LEFT FLANK Jeffries was also asked whether he is personally comfortable having the city he represents, the most populous city in America, be run by a socialist. In response, Jeffries simply answered that Mamdani "is the mayor-elect of the City of New York ," saying, "It's incumbent upon everyone to make sure that he’s successful." Although Mamdani was quickly endorsed by some of the country’s most progressive leaders, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., the Democratic Party’s top leadership was slower to give their blessing. Jeffries himself did not answer whether he would be endorsing Mamdani until just before early voting began on Oct. 24. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., never issued an endorsement of Mamdani. However, he called his electoral victory "historic." Mamdani, who is a 34-year-old immigrant from Uganda, is the first Muslim m…