Mamdani-backed lefties sweep in NYC congressional primaries as socialist mayors influence grows to DC
The Zo-mentum is real.Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s far-left slate of Big Apple congressional hopefuls prevailed in Tuesday’s Democratic primary – with firebrand Darializa Avila Chevalier projected to pull off an AOC-style upset.Former city Comptroller Brad Lander and state Assemblywoman Claire Valdez were quickly projected by the Associated Press and NY1 to win over their establishment Democrat opponents.Avila Chevalier held a razor-thin 49.3% to 46% lead over Rep.Adriano Espaillat with 86% of votes counted late Tuesday, leading the five-term incumbent to concede.The projected win by Avila Chevalier and the congressional race victories — coupled with a likely clean sweep of Democratic Socialists of America candidates in state races — signaled Mamdani could expand his socialist wave beyond New York City, to Washington, DC.“This is a moment when voters have the opportunity to vote in who would be a partner in fulfilling the affordability agenda,” Mamdani said earlier Tuesday as he stumped for Lander.The win by Avila Chevalier over Espaillat in New York’s 13th House District echoed the stunning 2018 victory by her fellow DSA diehard Rep.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over Democratic fixture Joe Crowley.Mamdani endorsed Avila Chevalier, Lander and Valdez with the explicit promise that the lefty candidates would advance his “affordability agenda” in DC.Just two members of Congress — Ocasio-Cortez and Rep.Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) — are DSA members.
The primary victories by Avila Chevalier and Valdez, in the Seventh House District, put two more closer to Congress — a fact not lost on supporters.“DSA! DSA!” chants erupted at Valdez’s victory party in East Williamsburg.The candidates hold a slew of far-left views that were once fringe within the Democratic Party.Valdez and Avila Chevalier both campaigned on their staunch opposition to Israel — labeling the Jewish state’s actions in Gaza a genocide — and on pushing their pro-Palestinia...