Why Nobody Is Challenging Hakeem Jeffries: NY Insiders Describe Deals With AOC, Mamdani, and Hochul
Christopher Armitage reports, citing anonymous former campaign staff, Assembly members, and New York DSA members whose account he has not independently confirmed, that Hakeem Jeffries worked with Gov. Kathy Hochul to offer Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez resources and better committee seats in exchange for discouraging challengers — which he ties to Jeffries' uncontested primary, Chi Ossé's abandoned 18-day bid, and the DSA's 52–46 vote against endorsing Ossé. Armitage, who sees the deal as savvy power brokering, predicts no one besides Jeffries becomes Speaker, and asks readers to press their senators to back Chris Van Hollen against Chuck Schumer for majority leader.
