Hakeem Jeffries Dodges Question on Zohran Mamdani’s Role in Democratic Future

By Eric Mack | Sunday, 02 November 2025 03:31 PM EST

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries faced sharp questions about New York democratic socialist mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani during a CNN interview, but avoided directly labeling him as the “future of the Democratic Party.”

Jeffries defended his delayed endorsement of Mamdani, emphasizing his focus on broader party priorities rather than individual candidates. “The future of the Democratic Party is going to fall relative to the House Democratic Caucus and members who are doing great work across the country,” Jeffries stated. He redirected attention to criticisms of President Donald Trump, claiming Republicans have failed to address key issues like healthcare and economic stability.

Host Jake Tapper pressed Jeffries on whether Mamdani could become a unifying figure for the party, but Jeffries shifted focus back to Republican policies. “The lightning rod impacting the House’s control in 2026 will be the failure of Republicans to deliver on promises,” he said.

The remarks came as Democrats monitor upcoming state and local elections, with Jeffries framing his messaging around opposition to Trump’s administration.

Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.