Dozens of Democratic Candidates Decline to Back Hakeem Jeffries as Party Leadership Faces Growing Tension

Meanwhile, Chakrabarti — known for his work alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Justice Democrats — responded to a question about Jeffries’ leadership with a hint of irony: “What did Hakeem say about endorsing Zohran? ‘We’ll have conversations and see where it goes’ — well, that’s my answer too.”

Jeffries’ Office Pushes Back
Despite the criticism, Jeffries’ team dismissed suggestions that the Democratic leader has lost support.

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“Leader Jeffries is focused on battling Donald Trump, ending the Republican shutdown of the federal government, and addressing the GOP’s healthcare crisis,” spokesperson Justin Chermol said in a statement to Axios.

Chermol emphasized that Jeffries remains committed to leading the caucus through unity and discipline — a strategy that has earned him praise for keeping Democrats cohesive in recent votes, even amid deep ideological differences.

What It Means for 2026