New York Democratic Primaries: A Testing Ground for the Party's Future
New York's Democratic primaries on Tuesday are revealing internal ideological battles that could shape the fight for control of the US House of Representatives in November.
New Yorkers went to the polls on Tuesday for a series of Democratic primaries that are expected to gauge the strength of the party's left wing and influence the battle for control of the US House of Representatives in the November midterms. With Republicans holding a narrow 217-212 majority (with five vacancies and one independent), Democrats are looking to flip seats and defend their own.
The New York contests have drawn national attention as Democrats struggle to define their identity in the Trump era. Several self-identified democratic socialists are challenging more centrist incumbents in safely Democratic districts, providing an early test of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's political influence. Mamdani has backed three left-wing candidates: former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, public defender investigator Darializa Avila Chevalier, and Claire Valdez.
Lander is challenging Representative Dan Goldman in the 10th congressional district, which covers lower Manhattan and part of Brooklyn. A late May poll showed Lander with a comfortable lead. Goldman has the backing of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Avila Chevalier is taking on five-term Representative Adriano Espaillat, arguing that the 71-year-old is out of touch with the district's young and working-class residents. Espaillat highlights his experience and advocacy for immigrants and civil rights. Valdez is running for the open seat in the 7th district, vacated by Nydia Velázquez after 17 terms. She faces Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who is endorsed by Jeffries, Velázquez, and other establishment figures. The race is seen as a proxy battle between the party's progressive wing and its old guard.
The candidates' stances on Israel and the war in Gaza have also been a prominent issue. Lander and Valdez have condemned Israel's military campaign as genocide, while Goldman and Espaillat have faced criticism over their ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel lobby.
In New York's 12th district, the wealthiest in the state and safely Democratic, the primary features Jack Schlossberg, 33-year-old grandson of John F. Kennedy, alongside state representatives Micah Lasher and Alex Bores, and George Conway, a former Republican turned vocal Trump critic. The race has become a proxy war for the AI industry, with AI investors pouring money into super PACs opposing Bores over state legislation he proposed to regulate the sector.
Beyond the city, Democrats are hoping to flip the 17th district in the Hudson Valley, currently held by two-term Republican Mike Lawler. Five Democrats are vying for the chance to challenge Lawler, including former White House counter-terrorism official Cait Conley and local legislator Beth Davidson. The district was one of only three nationwide that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024 but elected a Republican congressman. The midterm elections are seen as a potential referendum on President Trump's economic policies and his administration's war in Iran.
