NEW YORK—New York City voters will choose sides again on June 23 in congressional primaries, in progressive-versus-incumbent battles.
To a large extent, like their counterparts across the nation, they seem ready to reject the idea that when opposing a conservative or right-wing Republican establishment lawmaker, the safe way to go is with a moderate choice. Instead, they seem to be favoring progressive alternatives in many situations.
In New York, as elsewhere, major progressive leaders like Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and groups like the Working Families Party are jumping into the primaries to back progressives against more moderate “establishment” candidates.
On one side are establishment Democrats Daniel Goldman, who represents much of the lower half of Manhattan, plus Red Hook and Sunset Park, and Adriano Espillat, whose district covers parts of the Upper West Side plus adjacent areas of the Bronx.
On the other side is progressive Brad Lander, the former city comptroller, who finished third in last year’s Democratic Mayoral primary. He faces Goldman. Lander, when he was comptroller, divested city funds that had been placed in Israel.
Endorsements symbolize the ideological fight for the hearts of Democrats since the district involved is often safely Democratic. New Democratic Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Sen. Bernie Sanders, Ind-Vt., back Lander, while Gov. Kathy Hochul and U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries back Goldman.
Mamdani and Lander cross-endorsed each other in last year’s mayoral primary, which helped Mamdani win in ranked-choice voting.
As if that wasn’t excitement enough, there’s a traffic jam of hopefuls seeking to succeed retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez in her Brooklyn-and-Queens seat. There, progressive forces have split, with the Working Families Party endorsing Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and the Justice Democrats endorsing Democratic Socialist Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, an Auto Worker.
And looming over all of this is the possibility that all the candidates may be seeking two-year U.S. House terms in districts that, if the state legislature’s dominant Democrats follow the law, could radically change in redistricting in 2028. Jeffries and Hochul are talking with state legislative leaders about the mechanics of a remap.
The 10th District race in lower Manhattan is the marquee tilt, the one pitting Lander against Goldman. One top issue is the flow of special interest money to Goldman, a strong supporter of right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the PM’s—and Donald Trump’s—war on Iran.
Neither Trump nor Netanyahu jibes with the increasingly progressive leanings of Manhattan, according to media reports. Those factors, though, produced a lot of cash for Goldman. He’s raised $7.6 million and spent $7.2 million, about five times as much as Lander’s haul and spending.
What Lander has going for him is the same squad of foot soldiers that helped put Mamdani in the mayor’s chair, plus the Working Families Party.
“Brad Lander has spent his life getting results for our community,” the Working Families Party says. “From affordable housing to taking on corporate interests to putting his body on the line to protect our neighbors from ICE, Brad always fights and never folds.
“Dan Goldman doesn’t share our values. He opposed Zohran Mamdani in the mayoral race and refused to vote for him in the general election. He’s one of the top recipients of AIPAC money and continues voting to send unconditional military aid to Israel and Netanyahu, even as they’re committing a genocide.
“He’s taken millions from wealthy special interests like Wall Street and crypto—the same people rigging the economy and raising our costs—and then he’s turned around and voted with Republicans to deregulate those industries and enrich Trump.
“While Goldman works for his special interests backers, Brad shows up for us.”
At the other end of Manhattan, Darializa Avila Chevalier, who helped organize the pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia University, has been outspoken on the issue, too. She opposes Espaillat, who supports Israel—though less obviously than Goldman—is relying on constituents’ memories of his clout within the city’s Democratic Party, plus money.
Across the East River, a traffic jam of hopefuls is running to succeed Rep. Nydia Velázquez—and progressive forces have split.
The Justice Democrats helped propel then-little-known bartender Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to her first win, eight years ago. Now they back Assemblywoman, United Auto Workers Local 2110 Columbia University unit chair, and Democratic Socialist Claire Valdez. Her causes in Albany include taxing the rich, tenant rights, and workers’ power, her website says.
Valdez’s website says her D.C. priorities include “abolish ICE, fight for a free Palestine, and make life more affordable for working people.” She’s also both a U.S. citizen and a citizen of the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Nation.
Velasquez and the Working Families Party back Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, said Jasmine Gripper, the party’s state director.
WFP calls him “the best candidate to fight for working families …and build a movement strong enough to defeat the forces of authoritarianism.” It also says it deeply trusts Reynoso, who “got his start organizing by knocking on doors in his community with New York ACORN.
“We know that as a member of Congress, he will lead the fights to protect immigrants, stand up for tenants, stand arm in arm with labor, and make New York a place where working families can afford to live and thrive.”
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