Dozens of Democrats running for U.S. House seats in 2026 have declined to commit to supporting House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) for party leader, signaling growing unease within the Democrat ranks as the party faces internal divisions over ideology and leadership.
According to new survey data compiled by Axios, 113 Democratic candidates for U.S. House seats were asked between September 24 and October 15 whether they would support Hakeem Jeffries as party leader. Of those respondents, 20 said they would not vote for Jeffries, 5 said they were likely to oppose him, 57 remained noncommittal, 7 said they were likely to support him, and 24 confirmed they would back him.
The findings reveal that less than one-quarter of responding candidates gave Jeffries their firm support, while nearly half declined to take a position. The hesitation marks a shift for Jeffries, who has maintained unanimous backing among sitting House Democrats since succeeding former Speaker Nancy Pelosi as party leader in 2022.
Several candidates who opposed or withheld support cited frustration with party messaging and leadership priorities. New Hampshire candidate Heath Howard remarked, “I think we need to have a new type of leadership that’s going to fight back significantly harder against the Trump administration.”
Illinois candidate Kat Abughazaleh stated she would support a leader “taking actual action against this administration” and urged progressives to “use our leverage to demand progressive change.” Texas candidate Amanda Edwards added, “We’ve got to see improvement, without question,” while Maryland firefighter Harry Jarin noted, “The anger of the base right now is not being matched by Democratic leadership — and that is going to have to change one way or another.”
Some of the criticism stemmed from Jeffries’ handling of the New York City mayoral race involving Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a socialist whose platform has divided Democrats. Jeffries’ reluctance to endorse Mamdani has become a key point of contention for progressive candidates. North Carolina candidate Jacob Lawrence expressed, “His refusal to endorse Zohran makes me nervous that, if I were to become the nominee in my race, he and the party would not support me.” Former congressional staffer Saikat Chakrabarti similarly quipped, “What is it that Hakeem said about endorsing Zohran? ‘I’ll have conversations with him and see where it goes.’”
Jeffries’ relationship with Mamdani has been a recurring issue for the Democratic Party. As Breitbart News previously reported, Jeffries has alternated between defending and distancing himself from the socialist candidate. In July, he described Mamdani as “neither a communist nor a lunatic” in response to comments from President Donald Trump. Weeks later, CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin observed that Jeffries “almost couldn’t condemn” Mamdani over his “globalize the intifada” stance. Jeffries has also argued that the Democratic Party is “a big tent,” saying, “The bigger the tent, the more likely it is that we can reach the greatest number of Americans.”
Tensions over Jeffries’ leadership have also emerged as Democrats remain at odds over the ongoing government shutdown. Last week, Jeffries rejected Republican-backed legislation to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies by one year, calling it a “non-starter.” President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans have accused Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) of prioritizing partisan fights over reopening the government, while polls show most voters want Democrats to agree to current spending levels.
The Axios data suggest that discontent with party leadership extends beyond Capitol Hill. Several of Jeffries’ critics are running competitive campaigns in battleground districts, including Daniel Biss and Kat Abughazaleh in Illinois, and Donovan McKinney in Michigan. While many establishment Democrats and party organizations have remained loyal to Jeffries, the number of noncommittal and dissenting candidates highlights fractures that could shape internal dynamics if Democrats reclaim the House majority next year.
Jeffries has not directly addressed the Axios survey, but his spokesperson, Justin Chermol, explained that the House Democrat leader remains focused on “battling Donald Trump, ending the Republican shutdown, and addressing the crushing GOP health care crisis.” Whether that message resonates with candidates and voters in 2026 remains to be seen, as divisions within his own ranks appear to be widening.
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