New York City Council member Chi Ossé, a key progressive figure and a close ally of Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, held private discussions about mounting a primary challenge against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), according to a report by Axios on Thursday. The potential insurgent bid, however, was quickly dismissed by Ossé himself, who ultimately stated he is “not running for Congress.”
The revelation of the private discussions underscores the deep ideological and generational tensions currently fracturing the national Democratic Party.
The Progressive Frustration
Sources told Axios that Ossé, a 27-year-old former Black Lives Matter activist with a massive social media following, had spoken with progressive groups about taking on Jeffries, one of the nation’s most powerful Democrats, in next year’s primary. The discussions gained traction after democratic socialist Mamdani won the mayoral primary in Jeffries’ home turf of Brooklyn.
The progressive frustration is centered on Jeffries’ reluctance to endorse Mamdani over former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent. Jeffries has also been critical of some of Mamdani’s rhetoric, particularly concerning Israel.
Ossé’s entry into the conversation was viewed by some progressives as a rare opportunity to challenge a long-serving, establishment leader. His legislative win with the FARE Act, which eliminated broker fees for renters, has burnished his progressive credentials.
Jeffries’ ‘Smashmouth Warning’
The Jeffries camp has already signaled a fierce battle against any challenger. According to Axios, the Minority Leader’s team has issued a “smashmouth warning,” threatening to target democratic socialists in the state legislature should they go after his congressional seat. An adviser to Jeffries also derisively dubbed those considering a run against him as “Team Gentrification.”
Ossé, who backed Mamdani in the mayoral primary, is seen by progressives as having the kind of anti-establishment, direct-communication style to potentially take on the minority leader. Mamdani previously cited Ossé and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) as showing him “the power of communication without an intermediary.”
Despite the progressives’ interest, some Democrats remained skeptical that Ossé would proceed with a run, partly due to his expressed wariness of Washington, D.C., and the formidable political machine Jeffries commands.
In a text message to Axios late Wednesday, Ossé first said, “it would take a very dire situation in order for me to even consider spending the rest of my 20s in dc,” before sending a follow-up message 20 minutes later: “Just to be clear, I’m not running for Congress.”
A Mamdani official, who declined to be named, also told Axios after publication, “This ain’t us.”
The episode highlights the continued hunger among the Democratic Party’s younger, left-leaning base to challenge incumbent leadership, a dynamic fueled by broader frustration over the party’s direction following the 2024 election losses.
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