Massive Mamdani surge does not materialize in contested NYC House races

Voter turnout for this year’s congressional Democratic primaries has been substantially lower so far than last year — with far fewer younger voters expected to cast ballots.The Democratic Socialists of America and liberal leaning insiders had hoped to replicate the results of 2025, when Mayor Zohran Mamdani shocked the political establishment by toppling ex-Gov.Andrew Cuomo and other candidates in the mayor’s race largely boosted by younger voters.“In my part of the world, turnout is a little low,” said Manhattan Democratic leader Keith Wright, referring to the 70th Assembly District in central Harlem, where his son, Assemblyman Jordan Wright, is facing a challenge from DSA challenger Conrad Blackburn.“I have not seen the Mamdani surge from last November or the Democratic mayoral primary,” Wright said.Mamdani was stumping the streets and nightclubs of Harlem Monday night with his democratic socialist insurgent candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, who is challenging veteran Rep.

Adriano Espaillat in the 13th House District covering Harlem, Washington Heights/Inwood and parts of the Bronx.As of 3 p.m., more than 367,000 people voted in primaries via early voting, mail-in ballots or earlier on Tuesday.That’s just a little over 10% of the 3.5 million registered Democrats in the city.By comparison, more than 1 million Democrats voted in the ranked-choice Democratic primary for mayor last year, with Mamdani besting Cuomo with 573,169 votes to 443,299 votes, or about a 30% turnout.But the turnout thus far is more than the 146,314 Democrats who voted in the Democratic primary for governor in 2022, when Kathy Hochul prevailed in the race for governor over challengers and current Rep.Tom Suozzi and city Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.There is a statewide Democratic primary for comptroller that gives reason for all Democrats to vote in the primaries this year.

Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, in office since 2007, faces off against Democratic challengers Drew War...