NY-08: Mamdani ally weighs challenging Hakeem Jeffries

[RandySF]

New York City Council member Chi Ossé, a close ally of Zohran Mamdani, is privately discussing a run against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), three people familiar with the discussions tell Axios.

Why it matters: Just talking about a potential campaign could drive a further wedge between Mamdani — the democratic socialist in line to be New York's next mayor — and Jeffries, who so far has declined to endorse Mamdani.

Ossé enters the picture as Mamdani is trying to assuage some Democrats' concerns about his mayoral campaign against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who's running as an independent.

Ossé, 27, has a ubiquitous social media presence that Mamdani has cited as a major influence. Any effort by Ossé to unseat Jeffries — one of the most powerful Democrats in the nation — likely would deepen the divide within the Democratic Party over age and ideology.





https://www.axios.com/2025/10/09/zohran-mamdani-ally-challenge-hakeem-jeffries

[Quiet Em]

1. "Just to be clear, I'm not running for Congress."

That quote is in the article and is from Osse himself.

I don't like Alex Thompson and I don't trust Alex Thompson.

I think Alex is just trying to stir up shit ahead of the NYC mayoral election.

And aside from what Republicans and a very small group of online vocal people say, there is no appetite for this. Jeffries is respected and supported by House Democrats.