Progressive Champions Backed by Mayor Mamdani Defeat Establishment in New York Democratic Primaries
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Three bold progressive candidates, supported by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, achieved decisive victories over entrenched incumbents in New York Democratic primaries, with Brad Lander’s landslide win over Congressman Dan Goldman in the 10th district marking a turning point for the party’s future.
In a resounding rejection of establishment politics, incumbent Congressman Dan Goldman was unseated by progressive champion Brad Lander in New York's 10th congressional district primary. Lander, who earned the endorsements of Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders, secured a commanding 66% of the vote, leaving Goldman with only 34%. The contest underscored a critical divide within the Democratic Party, particularly on the Israel-Gaza conflict. Lander courageously called out Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide, standing with the oppressed, while Goldman clung to the support of pro-Israel lobbyists.
The progressive wave continued as two more Mamdani-backed candidates triumphed. Assemblywoman Claire Valdez ousted Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the 7th district, and doctoral student Darializa Avila Chevalier toppled five-term incumbent Adriano Espaillat in the 13th district. Mamdani hailed Chevalier as “a person of clarity, of conscience and of conviction,” reflecting the movement’s commitment to justice and integrity.
After his victory, Lander took to social media to affirm that voters in his district “want leadership ready to fight, not fold, against authoritarianism.” In contrast, Goldman, forced to concede, offered a perfunctory congratulation and was later derided by former President Donald Trump as “weak and pathetic.”
Meanwhile, in the 12th district, Jack Schlossberg, heir to the Kennedy legacy, was defeated by Assemblymember Micah Lasher, while reactionary lawyer George Conway garnered a mere 6% of the vote. Mamdani, upholding his principles, refrained from endorsing any candidate in that race.
The victorious Mamdani-backed candidates have consistently advocated for transformative policies, including abolishing ICE and raising taxes on the wealthy, and have bravely condemned Israel’s conduct in Gaza—positions that establishment Democrats have dismissed out of fear of alienating swing voters. The results signal a new era for the Democratic Party, one rooted in justice, equity, and moral clarity.
