Mamdani-Backed Candidates Shake Up New York Democrats in Primary Upset

New York Democrats saw a major primary upheaval Tuesday night as candidates aligned with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America swept a series of key contests, ousting longtime party figures and establishment-backed successors. The results exposed deep ideological rifts inside the party and signaled a generational shift, especially on foreign policy toward Israel and on ties to the political establishment.

In the 13th Congressional District, Darializa Avila Chevalier, a doctoral student and organizer in Mamdani’s campaign, defeated veteran Congressman Adriano Espaillat, an influential Upper Manhattan figure and the first formerly undocumented immigrant ever elected to Congress. In the 10th District, Brad Lander, an ally of the mayor, beat Congressman Dan Goldman in a race centered on U.S. policy toward Israel. In the 7th District, Claire Valdez, a senior party activist, unseated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the contest for the seat held by veteran Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez.

Outside the city, former officer and intelligence specialist Kate Connelly won the Democratic nomination in the Hudson Valley district, a strategically important race ahead of the general election against Republicans. In the governor’s race, there were no competitive primaries, with incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman both running without internal opposition.

The article says the results reflect a broader struggle between the party’s traditional power brokers and a younger, more educated, more radical movement that is gaining strength among younger, liberal voters. That shift has weakened the old advantage of establishment candidates among Black and Latino communities, and the success of DSA-backed candidates could help reshape both the party’s economic agenda and its foreign policy stance going into the midterms and the 2028 presidential race.