Lefty NYC Councilmember Chi Ossé is ending his short-lived campaign against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries amid pushback from incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani and a failed attempt to gain the backing of New York’s Democratic Socialists of America, the Post has learned.
Ossé has been one of the more prominent progressive pols to fully embrace the Democratic Socialists of America as they look to seize on Mamdani’s vanquishing of ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo to take out other more establishment Dems.
City Councilmember Chi Ossé is officially scrapping his primary bid against Brooklyn Rep. and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. REUTERS
“After the exploratory process, we determined that a campaign against the House minority leader this year would not be viable. And so we will be ending the exploration process and not launching a campaign,” Ossé wrote in an email to supporters, as reported by The New York Times.
The young Brooklyn Tik Tokker pol’s challenge of Democrats’ highest-ranking bosses caused a firestorm within Democratic Socialists of America circles with Mamdani going so far as to make personal pleas to the organization for it not to back Ossé’s primary of Jeffries.
Jeffries endorsed Mamdani for mayor a few days before the the general election. Michael Brochstein/ZUMA / SplashNews.com
Mamdani even barred Ossé from his victory party over the spat, sources previously told The Post.
A working group of NYC-DSA members ultimately voted last month not to endorse Ossé, drawing into question whether his campaign had a path forward.
“NYC DSA FOREVER IM NOT GOING ANYWHERE,” Osse posted to X after the vote.
Jeffries was a long time holdout, but eventually endorsed Mamdani in the days leading up to the mayoral election.
“Leader Jeffries appreciates the widespread support he has in every corner of New York’s 8th Congressional District. He remains laser-focused on lowering the high cost of living, protecting the healthcare of the American people and making life better for the communities he is privileged to represent in Brooklyn,” Jeffries Spokesperson Justin Chermol wrote in a statement.