Activists Submit 80,000 Petitions Demanding Schumer and Jeffries Support Mamdani

Activists Deliver Over 80,000 Petition Signatures to Push for Zohran Mamdani’s Endorsement

A group of about a dozen progressive activists recently delivered more than 80,000 petition signatures to the Capitol Hill offices of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The action was aimed at urging these prominent Democrats to endorse Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor.

Mamdani, who is 33 years old, has gained significant support from the left wing of the Democratic Party. This has placed many party leaders and centrists in a challenging position, as they navigate the growing pressure to back his candidacy.

The petition drive followed Governor Kathy Hochul’s recent endorsement of Mamdani, which has intensified the call for Schumer and Jeffries to take a stand. So far, both leaders have not publicly endorsed Mamdani.

Liz Hohenberger, who works on federal affairs for Our Revolution, explained that the petition effort was meant to encourage party leaders to honor the results of the primary elections. “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 expressed disappointment with the lack of clear support from party leaders. “Democrats should be backing their Democratic nominee in any race, but particularly in New York, where the senator is from,” she added. She pointed out that unions and grassroots organizations have already supported Mamdani, and the petition drive was intended to push Schumer and Jeffries “over the line to give him their endorsement.”

Jeffries has not yet taken a public stance on the issue. When asked about it, he responded, “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 also mentioned that he has not heard frustration from congressional colleagues regarding the lack of an endorsement.

Schumer has also remained cautious, stating that he met with Mamdani last week and described their conversation as “very good.” He noted that the discussions are ongoing and that he continues to engage with the candidate.

Recent polling aggregated by The New York Times shows Mamdani leading former Gov. Andrew Cuomo by a double-digit margin, driven largely by younger voters. The Republican candidate is currently in third place, while incumbent Mayor Eric Adams trails in fourth. Mamdani’s unexpected victory over Cuomo in the Democratic primary surprised the political establishment and reshaped the general election landscape.

The race has created divisions within the Democratic Party on Capitol Hill. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) has expressed his lack of support for Mamdani’s message, stating, “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.”

However, some Democrats are pushing for leadership to act. Members like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) have shown frustration with party leaders for avoiding an endorsement despite Mamdani’s lead in the polls and his official nomination. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), another supporter of Mamdani, criticized Democrats who have stayed on the sidelines. “That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of,” Van Hollen said at a Democratic fundraiser. “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 post on Truth Social. “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!”

Republicans in New York echoed similar criticisms. However, Hohenberger pushed back against these attacks, emphasizing that Mamdani’s agenda reflects 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.”