A group of about a dozen progressive activists delivered more than 80,000 petition signatures Thursday to the Capitol Hill offices of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), pressing them to endorse Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor.
Mamdani, 33, has gained a large base of support from the left flank of the Democratic Party, leaving many party leaders and centrists in a tough spot.
A group of about a dozen progressive activists delivered more than 80,000 petition signatures Thursday to the Capitol Hill offices of Schumer and Jeffries, pressing them to endorse Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor. pic.twitter.com/wd2ilMdYlH
— Samantha-Jo Roth (@SamanthaJoRoth) September 18, 2025
The petition push comes after Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsed Mamdani earlier this week, putting new pressure on Schumer and Jeffries to take a stand. Both leaders have so far stopped short of offering an endorsement.
Liz Hohenberger, who works on federal affairs for Our Revolution, said the petition effort was about urging party leaders to follow through on the results of the primary. “We’re delivering over 85,000 petition signatures asking for Senator Schumer and Representative Jeffries to honor the primary elections and endorse the democratically elected nominee Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor,” she said.
Hohenberger added that activists have been disappointed by the lack of clear support. “Democrats should be backing their Democratic nominee in any race, but particularly in New York, where the senator is from,” she said. She noted that unions and grassroots organizations have already lined up behind Mamdani and said the petition drive was meant to push Schumer and Jeffries “over the line to give him their endorsement.”
Jeffries has declined to take a position so far. “I think you should ask Kathy Hochul about her endorsement, and I’ll have more to say about the mayor’s race when I have more to say about the mayor’s race,” he told reporters earlier this week, adding that he has not heard frustration from congressional colleagues about not yet making an endorsement.
Schumer has also held off, telling reporters he met with Mamdani last week, “we had a very good conversation. We know each other well, and those conversations are continuing,” he said during a news conference on Tuesday.
Recent polling aggregated by The New York Times shows him with a double-digit lead over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, powered by younger voters. The Republican candidate is currently polling in third place, while incumbent Mayor Eric Adams trails in fourth. Mamdani’s upset win over Cuomo in the Democratic primary stunned New York’s political establishment and reshaped the general election landscape.
The race has divided Democrats on Capitol Hill. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) said he does not support Mamdani’s message. “Sometimes change is more important than unity. And I think that the Democrats, we have to work on our brand. And I think that the message that Mr. Mamdani is standing for is not something that I agree with,” he said, speaking to reporters.
Other Democrats, however, are pushing leadership to act. Members like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) have shown frustration with party leaders for dodging an endorsement despite Mamdani’s lead in the polls and his official nomination. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), another supporter of Mamdani, blasted Democrats who have remained on the sidelines last weekend. “That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of,” Van Hollen said at a Democratic fundraiser last weekend. “They need to get behind him, and get behind him now.”
President Donald Trump also weighed in, attacking Hochul’s endorsement of Mamdani in a Truth Social post. “Governor Kathy Hochul of New York has endorsed the ‘Liddle’ Communist, Zohran Mamdani, running for Mayor of New York,” Trump wrote. “This is a rather shocking development, and a very bad one for New York City. How can such a thing happen? Washington will be watching this situation very closely. No reason to be sending good money after bad!”
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Republicans in New York echoed similar criticism. Hohenberger pushed back on those attacks, saying Mamdani’s agenda reflected the needs of working people. “These are policies that put the people of New York first,” she said. “They are policies that are supposed to make it easier for the regular person, the small business to exist in New York. And you know, if Republicans want to be anti-business, that’s their business. But we do think that Mamdani is a good nominee with good policies, and he is going to make a great mayor.”