Zohran Mamdani vs. Hakeem Jeffries: The Frenemy Feud for New York's Future

Two competitive New York City congressional primaries are pitting Mayor Zohran Mamdani against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a battle for the political future of the nation's largest city.

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) had built more power in New York City over the past decade, but Mamdani's victory in last year’s mayoral race was a landmark win for the movement. The growth of DSA and other progressive movements in the Empire State has been met with pushback and criticism from the city's Democratic establishment.

Jeffries, a major power broker in New York, was seen by some on the left as being slow to support Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, last year, and has found himself at odds with some other left-wing insurgents in the city. Two congressional primaries set to be held on Tuesday are seen as proxy wars between Mamdani's progressive movements and the establishment led by Jeffries in the state, and the outcome of these races could have implications for the future of the city's political fabric.

Mamdani Endorsements Clash With Jeffries

In New York's 10th District, former City Comptroller Brad Lander is challenging Representative Dan Goldman, viewed as a more moderate Democrat in a district Mamdani won. In New York's 13th District, organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier, a DSA member, is challenging Representative Adriano Espaillat.

Jeffries and Mamdani have found themselves at opposing ends of these races-Mamdani has backed Avila Chevalier and Lander, who is not a DSA member; Jeffries has backed both incumbents.

While Mamdani works to expand DSA power in New York, Jeffries has focused on the Democratic Party’s national goals of retaking control of the House of Representatives, and building a broader, more moderate coalition compared to Mamdani’s progressive movement. If the party does so, Jeffries would be positioned to become next House speaker.

Endorsing in these primaries poses a "bigger political risk" for Mamdani than Jeffries, Boris Heersink, professor of political science at Fordham University, told Newsweek.

"It makes sense that Jeffries and the Democratic caucus in the House (mostly) support incumbent representatives for reelection," he said. "Mamdani is making the choice to get involved and back challengers. If those challengers fail to win, it spotlights the limits to Mamdani’s political influence in the city."

Mamdani cast the primary as a "moment of more, of asking for more, of expecting more, of delivering more" during a campaign event on Thursday.

"Now, people often ask me what I think of the state of the Democratic Party," the mayor said. "This slate here today is our answer."

When asked about the diverging endorsements in District 13, Jeffries earlier told reporters that he and Mamdani have "agreed to strongly disagree" about the race.

Mamdani's Tense Relationship With NYC Establishment

Mamdani has had a tense relationship with the Democratic establishment throughout his political career, with many more centrist members of his party choosing to support former Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo's independent bid over him in 2025.

Jeffries himself faced criticism from some progressive Democrats over what they viewed as a slow endorsement of Mamdani. The two have never been viewed as particularly close political allies but have also avoided directly criticizing each other.

The two are not natural political allies. While Mamdani identifies as a Democratic socialist, Jeffries has never aligned himself with the movement. In fact, he has been quite critical of DSA. For years, he has been at odds with the group as it has grown its ranks in Brooklyn, one of the most progressive strongholds anywhere in the country.

Basil Smikle, a Democratic strategist and professor of public affairs at Columbia University, told Newsweek much of the tension between the party's DSA and establishment wing comes down to "outsider-insider tension."

"A lot of Mamdani supporters view Jeffries and other elected officials as part of the establishment that they’ve been running against for years," he said.

Many younger voters have lived with a Democratic Party whose branding has "suffered," Smikle added.

"Therefore, you’re going to view the electeds that really do rely on that infrastructure as part of a system that you don’t trust," he said. "I think it’s as simple as you have a lot of younger voters and a young mayor who don’t view the party as an opportunity for political and economic empowerment in the same way that a lot of older voters and older elected officials did not that long ago."

Mamdani Didn’t Back Jeffries Challenger

Notably, Mamdani did not endorse a challenge to Jeffries himself. Some progressives have called for the Democratic leader to face a challenge amid frustration with the party's response to President Donald Trump.

City Councilmember Chi Ossé announced a primary against Jeffries but did not receive support from Mamdani. He ended the campaign last month.

Heersink said Mamdani may have been skeptical that Jeffries was vulnerable, "which would make it a not particularly appealing challenge to waste political capital."

"Mamdani can agitate against that establishment and, in some cases, support primary challenges against regular members of Congress, but supporting a primary challenge against the party’s leader in the House would basically be a declaration of war, which might severely complicate his ability to get things done in Albany," he said.

Mamdani and other New York City progressives appear to be "treading a little more carefully" when it comes to Jeffries, Smikle said.

"I imagine that that’s because of the stakes. You’ve got Jeffries who could be the first African American speaker in the House and is deeply engaged in trying to get the House to flip to back to Democratic control. So, any political attacks on him just weakens his hand as he tries to push the Democrats back in power," he said.

DSA Building Power in NYC, Elsewhere

Mamdani's victory translated to a large win for DSA, Smikle said.

"They've had DSA members holding office in New York City for some time now at the council level and at the state [legislative] level," he said. "I think the fact that they’re contesting for congressional races is a sign that they are willing to run against incumbents everywhere and in every seat."

DSA is also expanding its power beyond just New York City with Janeese Lewis George's victory in the Washington, D.C. mayoral primary. A Democratic socialist, Lewis George won majority support in the primary and is poised to become its next mayor, as she's not expected to face much of a challenge in the general election.

DSA also has an opportunity to take another seat in November if Nithya Raman overtakes incumbent Democratic Mayor Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race.

What Polls Show About Mamdani-Backed Insurgents in NYC Primaries

It’s rare for incumbents to lose renomination, but some on the left believe New York City could provide progressives opportunities to unseat incumbents-particularly with the support of Mamdani. Here is what polls show about these primaries.

Lander vs. Goldman: New York's 10th District

Lander, who ran for mayor in the 2025 election, has received Mamdani's support for taking on Goldman, who some left-leaning Democrats say is a poor fit for the progressive district Mamdani won in last year’s race over Cuomo.

Goldman is not viewed as particularly progressive and has drawn scrutiny from some on the left over his support for Israel.

Mamdani has supported Lander’s campaign from the beginning, telling The New York Times in December, “He has been a trusted ally and partner of mine, and I’m proud to support him as I know he’ll continue delivering for those who need government to show up for them the most.”

The pair became allies on the mayoral campaign trail, with both occupying the more progressive lane in the race. Lander ultimately encouraged his supporters to rank Mamdani second in the primary election, as the city uses ranked choice voting in its mayoral elections.

An Emerson College poll found that 57 percent of respondents planned to vote for Lander, compared to Goldman's 23 percent. It surveyed 450 likely voters from May 16-17 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points.

An earlier Schoen Cooperman Research Poll, which surveyed 465 likely voters from May 1-4, showed a tighter race but still gave Lander an advantage. In that poll, 47 percent of respondents said they would back Lander compared to 42 percent for Goldman. It was first reported by City & State.

The district contains parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Avila Chevalier vs. Espaillat: New York's 13th District

Mamdani's endorsement of Avila Chevalier puts him at odds with other national progressives who have endorsed Espaillat, who has represented the district, based in Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx, since 2017.

A Data for Progress poll, reported by Semafor, gave Avila Chevalier a lead with 39 percent to Espaillat's 35 percent. It surveyed 319 likely primary voters from June 3-9.

An earlier Upswing Research & Strategy poll, reported by The City Reporter, gave the incumbent a lead over Avila Chevalier. In that poll, 42 percent said they would vote for Espaillat, while 28 percent said they would cast a ballot for Avila Chevalier. It surveyed 598 likely voters from March 25-30.

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This story was originally published June 21, 2026 at 3:00 AM.