Schumer Won't Say Who He Voted for in NYC

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who declined to endorse the Democratic candidate for mayor in New York City, wouldn't say Tuesday whether he had voted for him. Asked if he had voted for Zohran Mamdani or former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, Schumer said, "Look, I voted and I look forward to working with the next mayor to help New York City," USA Today reports.

Sources tell the New York Times that Schumer broke with the tradition of party leaders backing party candidates in their home states for multiple reasons, including Mamdani's strong criticism of Israel, the possible effect on races in other states of backing the leftist candidate, and New York City donors' worries about Mamdani. The Times reports that Democrats from other states "bristled" when they were asked about Schumer's noncommittal remarks. "I'm going to give you a map of the state of New Mexico," said New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Lujan. "I don't get to vote in New York. Go talk to Chuck; I don't know what to tell you."

Other Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, endorsed Mamdani late in the race, though Jeffries said there were still "areas of principled disagreement." Some Democrats strongly criticized Schumer's failure to endorse, the Times reports. "It is hard to imagine something more emblematic of what's wrong with the Democratic Party than an aging insider refusing to support a young generational talent who has built a movement that looks like the future," said former Barack Obama adviser Ben Rhodes.