New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and key allies secured major wins in Tuesday’s congressional primaries as they looked to build on his 2025 victory by expanding the power and presence of the democratic socialist movement in Washington.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander dethroned Democratic Rep.
Dan Goldman in the Democratic primary for New York’s 10th District without much tension Tuesday, the first victory for the Mamdani-backed slate.Lander captured about two-thirds of the vote.Soon afterward, NBC News projected that state legislator Claire Valdez had defeated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the open 7th District, where longtime Rep.
Nydia Velázquez is retiring.Velázquez — and a number of prominent city political leaders — backed Reynoso, who leaned on his relationships in Brooklyn and his record on issues like police reform.
00:54Claire Valdez wins the Democratic primary for N.Y.7th District00:0000:00But they were no match for Mamdani and other allies, who elevated Valdez, 36, a first-termer in the state Assembly who moved to the city in 2015.
She ran a hard-charging campaign calling for “Medicare for All” and a “public option for housing.” And she argued she was a stronger advocate than Reynoso in their approaches to criticizing Israel’s conduct in its war against Hamas.Then, Darializa Avila Chevalier — another young democratic socialist and community activist whose campaign flew under the radar before Mamdani endorsed her — defeated 10-year Rep.Adriano Espaillat, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.Other dynamics in play in Tuesday’s primaries across four states included tens of millions of spending from super PACs funded by the artificial intelligence industry, pro-Israel groups and a pair of wealthy Democrats engaged in a knock-down, drag-out primary in Maryland.But the success of the Mamdani-led ...