Three far-left candidates backed by self-described "democratic socialist" Zohran Mamdani, the New York mayor, all won in New York's Democratic primaries for the U.S. House, rapidly expanding Mamdani's influence within the party.
According to local media including the New York Times (NYT) on the 24th (local time), in the New York Democratic primaries held the day before, former New York City comptroller Brad Lander, New York State Assembly member Claire Valdez, and candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, all publicly endorsed by Mamdani, won. All three advance to the general election in November, and because their districts are strongholds for Democrats, they are likely to enter the U.S. House in January next year.
In particular, as the candidates backed by Mamdani defeated incumbents in succession, his political clout is drawing renewed attention. In New York's 10th District, which includes parts of Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, former comptroller Lander defeated incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman. In the 13th District, Avila Chevalier, backed by Mayor Mamdani, beat five-term incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat.
During the primaries, Mamdani supported the three candidates across the board, from fundraising and ad shoots to closed-door strategy sessions. In the 7th District in particular, the organizing power of Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) proved decisive, as New York State Assembly member Valdez defeated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who was backed by Rep. Nydia Velázquez as her successor.
These primaries were a test of whether the faction led by Mamdani could establish itself as a key force within the Democratic Party. Because most of the candidates he backed were relatively lesser-known, the results inevitably reflected Mamdani's influence. The victories are seen as showing that the democratic socialist faction he leads can expand onto the national political stage.
The NYT said, "These primaries were a highly unusual election that showed the success achieved by the anti-establishment, socialist-leaning progressive camp in last year's New York mayoral race was not a temporary upset," adding, "At least in New York, they are clearly emerging as part of the political mainstream."
The Washington Post (WP) also said, "The biggest winner of New York's primaries was Mamdani, whose name was not even on the ballot," adding that it is "a signal that, while showing Mamdani's political brand wields powerful influence, the Democratic Socialist movement that propelled him to City Hall in New York still retains strong political momentum."
The victories by candidates backed by Mamdani are expected to weigh on the Democratic leadership, including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. As Mamdani's influence, seen as a 'rebel faction' within the party, grows, it is likely to affect the party's domestic and foreign policy lines, including on the Israel-Hamas war. CNN projected that Jeffries will lose two incumbents and now faces a surging hardline faction.
But the party mainstream did not lose across the board. In Manhattan's 12th District in New York, New York State Assembly member Micah Lasher won. The seat was left open by the retirement of heavyweight Rep. Jerry Nadler, and it drew bids from Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy (JFK) and a social media star, and attorney George Conway, known for his anti-Trump broadsides.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) assessed, "Mamdani, who lives in the 12th District, stayed neutral in this race," adding, "The establishment found its only hope in one of Manhattan's wealthiest areas."