House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries dodged questions about NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s controversial college application, refusing to endorse him while praising his campaign tactics. The controversy stems from a Columbia University data breach revealing Mamdani—born in Uganda to Indian parents—identified as both “Asian” and “African American” on his 2009 application.
Mamdani claimed he checked multiple boxes to represent his “Indian-Ugandan” background due to limited options, not to gain admission advantage. Columbia rejected his application. NYC Mayor Eric Adams condemned this as “an insult to every student who got in the right way,” calling it offensive to African Americans’ lived experience.
When directly asked about the application scandal, Jeffries avoided commenting, instead emphasizing he’d “never had a substantive conversation” with Mamdani. He praised Mamdani’s focus on affordability and campaign organization but withheld endorsement pending “discussions about his vision”.
The hesitation highlights Democratic Party fractures, with Jeffries previously endorsing incumbent Eric Adams as his second choice. Mamdani defeated Andrew Cuomo in the primary, whose spokesperson called for fraud investigations over the application. Fox News highlighted Jeffries’ evasion as emblematic of Democratic disunity.
Jeffries’ sidestepping reflects deeper tensions within the party, contrasting his acknowledgment of Mamdani’s campaign strengths with silence on ethical questions. The incident underscores conservative concerns about accountability in progressive leadership.
