2 Democratic Power Players ‘Agree to Strongly Disagree’ Over a New York House Primary

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is backing Rep. Adriano Espaillat against a challenger endorsed by the NYC mayor, with early voting underway.

(Left) House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks during a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, on January 5, 2026. (Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times) (Right) New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference at the Unisphere in New York, on November 05, 2025 Alexi J. Rosenfeld/ Getty Images

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have backed different candidates in a contested Democratic congressional primary, in which early voting is underway for the June 23 primary.

Jeffries has thrown his support behind longtime incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) in New York’s 13th Congressional District, which covers parts of Harlem in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Mamdani has endorsed Espaillat’s opponent, Darializa Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist who worked on the mayor’s campaign last year. The socialist challenger is also backed by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).