House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have backed different candidates in a contested Democratic congressional primary, where 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.).
When asked about his endorsement and if Mamdani’s brand of politics to the left is the future of the Democratic Party, Jeffries defended the incumbent and the party….