Rep. Hakeem Jeffries’ last-minute endorsement of Zohran Mamdani marked the latest move to consolidate Democratic support behind the party’s New York City mayoral nominee — but Republicans wasted no time warning that it could backfire in 2026.

Jeffries, the House Democratic leader from Brooklyn, made his long-awaited endorsement in a written statement Friday afternoon that said he supports the citywide Democratic ticket while acknowledging he and Mamdani have “areas of principled disagreement.”

His backing drew criticism from Republican House members eager to tie their Democratic rivals to Mamdani’s socialist policies. But it is unlikely to have a major effect on city voters who start early voting on Saturday. Mamdani won a commanding primary victory in June over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo,

See Full Page