City Councilmember Chi Ossé of Brooklyn has taken the first official step toward a Democratic primary challenge against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the highest-ranking Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Ossé filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Monday to run in New York’s 8th Congressional District, which includes parts of Bedford-Stuyvesant and southern Brooklyn.
“The Democratic Party’s leadership is not only failing to effectively fight back against Donald Trump, they have also failed to deliver a vision that we can all believe in,” Ossé said in a statement.
Notably, the move comes without the backing of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a key figure in the city’s progressive political movement.
This primary would set up another generational and philosophical challenge for Democrats in the Empire State. It comes on the heels of New Yorkers electing Mamdani, a Democrat and democratic socialist, as the mayor over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent after a decades-long career as a moderate Democrat.
Ossé, 27, was elected to his second full term on the City Council in November and recently joined the Democratic Socialists of America. He has used a growing social media presence to engage New Yorkers on how the government works and when it doesn’t.
Jeffries, 55, served in the state Assembly before his election to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he has risen quickly through Democratic leadership ranks. He would be poised to become the first African American Speaker of the House if the Democrats were to retake the majority – and if he is re-elected.
Asked about his plans, the mayor-elect said Ossé should keep his talents in New York.
“ While I appreciate the great work that Council Member Ossé has done on the council, especially for tenants, I believe that there are many ways right here in New York City to both deliver on an affordability agenda and take on the authoritarian administration in the White House,” Mamdani said Monday.
Ossé was a prominent supporter of Mamdani’s, leveraging his own deft social media presence to support his campaign,
Justin Chermol, a spokesperson for the House Democratic Leader, said Jeffries has been fighting to address the cost of living, including defending healthcare premiums, and fighting to win back control of the House.
“We welcome this primary challenge and look forward to a rigorous debate about the type of serious leadership required to deliver for the people of Brooklyn and the nation,” Chermol said.
When asked about Ossé’s plans during a House press conference Monday, Jeffries responded simply: “Come on in, the water’s warm.”
