Mamdani Is the Future Face of the Democratic Party, Whether Democrats Like It or Not

For weeks now, progressive activists have tried to muscle Democratic lawmakers into explicitly endorsing Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral bid, elevating the question into a litmus test — the price of admission into the left-wing political ecosystem. Those who “know what time it is,” to borrow a thought-terminating cliché on the right, have buckled under that pressure. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was among those who broke. But while he endorsed the Democratic Socialist’s candidacy, Jeffries still attempted to keep his options open.

“No,” the Democratic House leader told CNN’s Jake Tapper over the weekend when asked if Mamdani represented the “future” of the Democratic Party. “I think the future of the Democratic Party is going to fall, as far as we’re concerned, relative to the House Democratic Caucus and members who are doing great work all across the country.”

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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Democratic Socialists of America

For weeks now, progressive activists have tried to muscle Democratic lawmakers into explicitly endorsing Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral bid, elevating the question into a litmus test — the price of admission into the left-wing political ecosystem. Those who “know what time it is,” to borrow a thought-terminating cliché on the right, have buckled under that pressure. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was among those who broke. But while he endorsed the Democratic Socialist’s candidacy, Jeffries still attempted to keep his options open.

“No,” the Democratic House leader told CNN’s Jake Tapper over the weekend when asked if Mamdani represented the “future” of the Democratic Party. “I think the future of the Democratic Party is going to fall, as far as we’re concerned, relative to the House Democratic Caucus and members who are doing great work all across the country.”

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.