New York City Council member Chi Ossé, a democratic socialist, filed paperwork on Monday to challenge House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) next year.
Ossé represents the city’s 36th District, which includes North Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant, in the New York City Council. He has represented the district since 2021.
The New York Post was the first to report last week that the 27-year-old council member was preparing to challenge the House Democratic leader against the wishes of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, whom Ossé endorsed.
“Leader Jeffries is fighting hard to lower the high cost of living, address the Republican healthcare crisis, combat corruption and win back control of the House for the good of the country,” Jeffries spokesperson Justin Chermol said in a statement. “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.”
Ossé’s move comes amid growing divides within the Democratic Party, largely along the lines of age and ideology.
A number of younger candidates have launched campaigns for seats represented by Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and others, arguing it’s time for older Democrats to pass the torch or that they’ve failed to adequately go toe-to-toe with the Trump administration.
Meanwhile, another New York Democrat, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, has drawn intense pushback from members of his own party after a number of moderate Democrats helped reach a deal to end the government shutdown.
Though Schumer didn’t vote in favor of the last government funding bill, he’s still grappled with frustration and anger from moderates and progressives alike over his handling of the situation.
Updated: 2:18 p.m. ET
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