Schumer silent while Hochul backs Mamdani, raising heat on Jeffries

A Senate Democrat accused his colleagues from the Empire State of being “spinless” for not endorsing New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., did not name names but still railed against New York Democrats for not backing Mamdani, whose brand of politics has shaken the Democratic Party since his primary victory earlier this year.

And those New Yorkers who haven’t thrown their support behind Mamdani happen to be the most powerful Democrats in Congress: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

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“Many Democratic members of the Senate and the House representing New York have stayed on the sidelines,” Van Hollen said during an event in Iowa on Saturday. “That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of. They need to get behind him and get behind him now.”

Neither Schumer nor Jeffries, both natives of Brooklyn, have endorsed Mamdani, despite having met with him a handful of times in recent weeks amid growing pressure from congressional Democrats to throw their weight behind him.

Van Hollen also went after the Democratic Party as a whole, arguing, “We’ve become a party that too often trims its sails.”

“Too cautious, too rudderless,” he said. “Too attached to poll-washed, pundit-rinsed, and donor-dried messages. What comes out of the wash is all bleached and blow-dried.”

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Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., speaks during a news conference upon his arrival from meeting with Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador, in Chantilly, Va., April 18, 2025.  (Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo)

A spokesperson for Jeffries fired back at Van Hollen in a statement to The New York Times.

“Leader Hakeem Jeffries will have more to say about the general election well in advance of Nov. 4,” said Jeffries spokesperson Justin Chermol. “Meanwhile, confused New Yorkers are asking themselves the question: Chris Van Who?”

Schumer met with him last week and told reporters that it went well.

“We had a good meeting,” Schumer said. “We know each other well, and we’re going to keep talking.”

Since Van Hollen’s remarks, Democratic New York…