WASHINGTON—Three candidates aligned with Mayor Zohran Mamdani secured victories in the Democratic primary contests for U.S. House seats on Tuesday, according to projections from U.S. media outlets.
Mamdani, 34, who captured office in January amid a surge in support for his democratic‑socialist platform, has earned the moniker “kingmaker” in American commentary.
His rapid ascent underscores a broader debate within the Democratic Party over whether its future should lean toward centrism or embrace a firmer left‑wing stance—a pivotal issue leading up to November’s midterm elections.
In the 10th Congressional District, former comptroller Brad Lander defeated two‑term incumbent Daniel Goldman, focusing his campaign on the Middle East war. Lander called for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel, while Goldman was backed by pro‑Israel groups, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Adriano Espillat lost re‑election in the 13th District to Darializa Avila Chevalier, a member of Mamdani’s Democratic Socialists of America, who once helped organize pro‑Palestinian protests at Columbia University and had never held public office before.
In the 7th District, Claire Valdez—another Mamdani‑aligned candidate—defeated Antonio Reynoso to succeed outgoing Representative Nydia Velázquez.
Jack Schlossberg, grandson of John F. Kennedy, failed to win the 12th‑District seat vacated by retiring Jerry Nadler. The 32‑year‑old progressive, who has vocally called for systemic change, was defeated by Micah Lasher, a state assemblyman endorsed by Nadler; Mamdani had not backed any of the candidates in that race.
