Three candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani won Democratic congressional primaries on June 23, defeating establishment incumbents or contenders in key districts across the city [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].
Brad Lander claimed victory in New York's 10th District by defeating incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman, who had faced criticism for his support of Israel [3, 5, 6, 7, 8]. Claire Valdez won the 7th District primary, ousting Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. The 7th District seat was open due to the retirement of Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who had endorsed Reynoso [3, 5, 6, 7, 8]. Darializa Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist and first-time candidate, upset five-term incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District. Espaillat also chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus [3, 4, 5, 6, 8].
Valdez and Chevalier received key support from the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which has gained influence by capitalizing on voter frustration over issues like affordable housing and wage stagnation [3, 5, 6, 7, 8]. Mamdani, who took office as mayor less than a year ago after his November 2025 surprise win, has pushed to overhaul New York's Democratic establishment by endorsing progressive and democratic socialist candidates [1, 3, 6, 9]. Mamdani said, "The old politics that got us into this crisis is not the politics that’s going to get us out of this crisis," and described it as a choice to elect "better Democrats" who would "put working people back at the heart of politics" [4, 5].
Mamdani's endorsements have caused tension with established Democrats, labor unions, some Latino leaders, and some Jewish voters, especially over criticism of Israel [3, 5, 6, 9, 8, 10]. The primary wins signal an expanding role for Mamdani and progressive groups in shaping the city's Democratic landscape [3, 4, 5, 6, 8].
The three Mamdani-backed candidates who won primaries are expected to compete in the November general elections. Their victories mark a significant shift in the party's internal power just months into Mamdani’s mayoralty [1, 3, 6].
