by Endorsement arrives after voters already decided
In a move political analysts are calling “impressively late,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries finally endorsed progressive candidate Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for mayor on Friday—three days before the election and approximately six months after literally everyone asked him to. The endorsement, which Jeffries described as “timely and strategic,” came after Mamdani had already spent months campaigning without institutional support.
“I’m proud to endorse Zohran Mamdani,” Jeffries announced at a sparsely attended press conference that felt like a hostage video. “His vision for New York aligns with our party’s values, which I’ve just now remembered after several months of strategic amnesia.” When asked why the endorsement took so long, Jeffries mumbled something about “careful consideration” before quickly leaving through a side exit.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist state assembly member known for his housing advocacy and progressive policies, graciously accepted the endorsement while probably screaming internally. “I appreciate Leader Jeffries’s support,” Mamdani said with the diplomatic smile of someone who knows this endorsement is too little, too late, but can’t say that out loud. “Better late than never, I suppose. Although in politics, late often means never, so this is technically an improvement.”
Political observers note that Jeffries’s hesitation reflects the Democratic establishment’s ongoing discomfort with progressive candidates, even when those candidates have broad grassroots support and actually win elections. “Hakeem would rather endorse a sentient spreadsheet with centrist views than support someone who wants affordable housing and worker protections,” said political analyst Dr. Maria Santos. “This endorsement is less about supporting Mamdani and more about avoiding looking completely useless when Mamdani wins anyway.”
The timing has sparked criticism from across the political spectrum. Progressive activists pointed out that Jeffries’s endorsement arrives after most early voting has concluded, rendering it largely symbolic—which may have been the point. “This is classic establishment behavior,” noted Democratic Socialists of America organizer James Chen. “Wait until the race is basically over, then pretend you were supportive all along. It’s like showing up to help someone move after they’ve already unpacked everything.”
Centrist Democrats, meanwhile, are annoyed that Jeffries endorsed at all. “Why would he support someone who actually wants to change things?” wondered one anonymous Democratic consultant who has never won an election but continues to be paid for advice. “Doesn’t Zohran know that politics is about maintaining the status quo while pretending to care about economic inequality?”
Mamdani’s campaign responded to the endorsement with a statement that read: “We welcome all support, regardless of when it arrives or how begrudgingly it’s given.” The statement was accompanied by a GIF of someone checking their watch, which the campaign later claimed was “accidentally” included.
Jeffries’s office insisted the endorsement was “always planned for this exact moment” and “not at all a panicked response to polling data.” They also released a statement saying Jeffries has “always believed in Zohran’s message,” citing as evidence a time six months ago when Jeffries nodded politely at Mamdani during a photo op before immediately endorsing his opponent.
SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/jeffries-finally-endorses-mamdani/
SOURCE: Jeffries Finally Endorses Mamdani in Last-Minute Move (https://bohiney.com/jeffries-finally-endorses-mamdani/)
