Mamdani-Backed Progressives Sweep New York Primaries
NEW YORK — A slate of three progressive candidates endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani swept Democratic congressional primary elections on Tuesday, ousting two incumbent congressmen and reshaping the Democratic Party’s landscape in a resounding show of force for the city’s ascendant left wing. The results have cemented Mamdani’s status as a political kingmaker, fueled speculation about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s political future, and drawn sharp warnings from President Donald Trump about the direction of blue states.
The Mamdani Slate’s Clean Sweep
All three candidates backed by the 34-year-old mayor won their primaries decisively. Darializa Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist and former pro-Palestinian protest organizer at Columbia University, defeated five-term incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat — the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus — by approximately 3.5 points in New York’s 13th Congressional District. State Assembly Member Claire Valdez, also a Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member, won the 7th District primary by more than 20 points, defeating Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso to succeed retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez. Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander defeated incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman in the 10th District, running to his left on issues including the war in Gaza, which Lander has described as a “genocide.”
According to The Associated Press, the mayor said the victories reflected a question of electing “better Democrats” who would “put working people back at the heart of politics.” All three candidates have promised to abolish ICE, condemned Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, and vowed to tax the wealthy if elected to Congress in November. Their districts are considered safely Democratic, making their general election victories likely.
AOC’s Political Future Brightens
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who easily defeated two primary challengers in her own race for renomination in New York’s 14th District, finds her political stock rising alongside the progressive wave. The four-term congresswoman told Fox News Digital that when asked about a potential 2028 presidential run, “Maybe, maybe not.” She has also not ruled out challenging Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who faces re-election in 2028.
Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo, a veteran of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaigns, told Fox News Digital that “AOC has built a political brand that certainly has staying power. Her influence has grown exponentially since defeating Crowley.” Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, described the results as “a political earthquake that shows voters want shake-up-the-system fighters who are not owned by corporate interests, billionaires, or corrupt Trump allies like AIPAC.”
Trump’s Stark Warning
President Trump responded forcefully to the primary results, posting multiple messages on Truth Social in the early morning hours of Wednesday. “Many Communists running in badly failing Blue States,” Trump wrote. “The bad news is that history has conclusively shown that the downtrodden States that they will soon be running will ONLY GET WORSE. MAGA!” In a separate post at 2:38 a.m., he declared, “America the Beautiful will NEVER be a Communist Country!!!”
As Fox News reported, Trump also sarcastically congratulated Mamdani, writing: “Mayor Mamdani pulled through 3 solid Communists, and has received loud and universal applause from the Fake News Media. Congratulations Mr. Mayor!” Trump claimed a 16-0 endorsement record on primary night.
Broader Primary Night Results
Beyond the Mamdani-backed sweep, other notable results emerged from Tuesday’s primaries. In Manhattan’s 12th District, Assembly Member Micah Lasher won the crowded race to succeed retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler, defeating Alex Bores in a contest that became a proxy battle between factions of the artificial intelligence industry. OpenAI-linked groups spent more than $7 million attacking Bores, while Anthropic-linked groups spent over $10 million supporting him. “I won’t be taking my cues from either of you when it comes to protecting our kids, our jobs, our environment,” Lasher said Tuesday night, according to PBS NewsHour.
In New York’s 17th District, Army veteran Cait Conley won the Democratic primary and will challenge GOP Rep. Mike Lawler in a key swing district contest. In Utah, former Rep. Ben McAdams won the Democratic primary in the newly redrawn blue-leaning 1st Congressional District, adapting his moderate record to a more progressive electorate.
Analysis: A Democratic Party at a Crossroads
The primary results present a significant challenge to Democratic establishment figures, including Senate Leader Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both New Yorkers who now face an ascendant left wing in their home state. Jeffries downplayed the results before polls closed, telling reporters on Capitol Hill, “There are 215 members of the House Democratic caucus. A handful of primaries that go in one direction or the other, in a given state or two, aren’t going to reshape who we are as House Democrats.”
Yet the victories by Mamdani’s candidates — which will likely double the DSA’s congressional representation from two to four members — signal a significant leftward shift in key New York districts. The DSA has made support for Gaza against Israel a central tenet of its platform, and the war was a dividing line in multiple races.
What’s Next
All three Mamdani-backed candidates are expected to win their general elections in November, given the deep blue nature of their districts. They would take office in January 2027, giving the mayor three allies in Congress. Meanwhile, speculation will continue to build around Ocasio-Cortez’s 2028 plans — whether she challenges Schumer in a primary or makes a bid for the White House. The Democratic Socialists of America, as first reported by Politico, is surveying its membership about preferred 2028 presidential candidates, with a formal vote expected at the group’s national convention next year.