House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries ducked a question about whether chants from activists that he’s going to be “next” to face a primary in the aftermath of Tuesday’s socialist sweep.
The New York City Democrat suffered much embarrassment when the two candidates whom he endorsed were whacked by their democratic socialist challengers, a political earthquake that has badly rattled the establishment.
Former comptroller Brad Lander and firebrand political newcomer Darializa Avila Chevalier, who were both backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, beat incumbent Reps. Dan Goldman (D-NY) and Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), leaving Jeffries with egg on his face and a target on his back.
During his appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Thursday, the top House Democrat was asked about the primary elections and the radicalism of Chevalier, an anti-Israel activist who wants to abolish ICE and prisons and has trashed the USA as a “f**king disgrace.”
CNBC’s Joe Kernen: “[Democratic Socialist] were saying, you’re next [to be primaried] about Hakeem Jeffries, you’re next, you’re next. You can’t think this is a positive development in New York politics, can you? Dems will be Dems or something like that. I don’t see how you can… pic.twitter.com/jj2cVukDNm
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) June 25, 2026
“Her views are clearly not my views, and that should be obvious to everyone in terms of what brings Democrats together,” Jeffries said of Chevalier, remarks unlikely to endear him to the rabidly socialist base.
“Listen, we believe that we’ve got to drive down the high cost of living. We’ve got to solve this affordability crisis. It’s not a hoax. There are far too many people in this country who are working hard,” Jeffries continued. “They’re playing by the rules, and they can’t thrive. In fact, they can barely survive. That’s not acceptable in the wealthiest country in the history of the world.”
Jeffries then shifted the subject to President Donald J. Trump, which the Democratic leadership always does as a smokescreen to distract from their lack of legitimate policy solutions that would benefit ordinary Americans.
But host Joe Kernen wasn’t having it, calling out Jeffries for not staying on topic and asking him about the “you’re next” chants after the socialists’ big night.
“We all agree with what you just said, but it totally shifted from what we’re talking about is whether the Democratic Party includes someone in that tent that believes these things,” the host said. “I don’t think any of those things are going to solve what you just talked about or answer to any of our problems that you delineate so eloquently.”
“They were saying, ‘you’re next’ about Hakeem Jeffries. ‘You’re next, you’re next, you’re next.’ You can’t think this is a positive development in New York politics, can you?” Kernen asked. “And, oh, they’ll just, you know, ‘Dems will be Dems’ or something like that. I don’t see how you can say that.”
“Dollar Store Obama” again ducked and weaved, trying to make it all about the president.
“First of all, I’ve clearly rejected those things. That’s number one. Number two, my record speaks for itself. This is not a ‘Dems will be Dems’ situation. Donald Trump is the President of the United States of America right now. Are you kidding me?” Jeffries said, insisting that his top priority is “ending this national nightmare” of Trump.
“The reality is, primaries do happen. There are 435 members of the House of Representatives. And am I going to agree with every single member on the Democratic or Republican side on every issue? Of course not,” he continued. “But there are members, you know, who are on their way, you know, into Congress right now who, you know, I have a long track record of having worked with.”
Jeffries wasn’t challenged this time around, but it is going to be an entirely different story in 2028 now that the socialists smell blood in the water.
