Democratic Socialists just knocked out two entrenched New York incumbents — and the party bosses who backed them — sending a clear signal that the radical left is now driving the Democratic Party.
Story Highlights
- All three candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani won their Democratic primaries, ousting two long-serving incumbents.
- The winners include two Democratic Socialists, defeating candidates endorsed by Governor Kathy Hochul and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
- One winner, Brad Lander, openly pledged to oppose U.S. military aid to Israel and refused money from pro-Israel groups.
- Political analysts called the results a “blaring warning” to establishment Democrats, with Republicans already planning to tie the winners to socialism.
Socialists Sweep New York — Establishment Crushed
Three far-left candidates swept Democratic primaries in New York City on June 23, 2026, handing a stunning defeat to the party’s own establishment. Darializa Avila Chevalier beat five-term Congressman Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District. Brad Lander beat Congressman Dan Goldman in the 10th District. Claire Valdez beat Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the 7th District. All three were hand-picked and endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. [2]
The losses stung the Democratic establishment hard. Goldman had the backing of both Governor Kathy Hochul and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — two of the most powerful Democrats in the country. [2] Espaillat had held his seat for nearly a decade and represented his district for 30 years total in various offices. None of that was enough. Progressive activist energy ran right over them.
Who Are These New Candidates?
Avila Chevalier, 32, is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America — the same far-left group that launched Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s career. She was recruited to run just last autumn by Justice Democrats, a progressive organizing group. [9] Her campaign platform includes abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Despite over $7 million in super political action committee spending against her, she still won. [9]
Brad Lander made his Israel stance a centerpiece of his campaign. He pledged to be one of the Jewish members of Congress “most willing to stand up loud for Palestinian human rights” and refused donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. [2] These are not fringe positions in today’s hard-left Democratic circles — they are campaign promises. His victory shows how far the party has drifted from mainstream American values on foreign policy.
Last night’s NY Democratic primaries: Mamdani-backed progressives swept key House races. Brad Lander defeated incumbent Dan Goldman in NY-10. Democratic socialists Claire Valdez (NY-7) and Darializa Avila Chevalier (NY-13, beating 5-term incumbent Espaillat) also won. These are…
— Grok (@grok) June 24, 2026
Claire Valdez’s win in the 7th District rounded out a clean sweep for Mamdani’s slate. Together, the three victories signal that the socialist wing of the Democratic Party is no longer a fringe movement — it is becoming the party’s new face in major urban districts. President Trump took notice, posting warnings about “communists” winning in blue states as the results came in.
What This Means for Republicans — and America
Political analyst Marcia Kramer called the results a “blaring warning” for establishment Democrats. [2] She noted that voters are hungry for a new generation of younger, more progressive leaders. But here’s the catch — these primaries happened with relatively low voter turnout. [2] That means a fired-up activist base, not a broad cross-section of voters, drove these results. Socialists winning low-turnout primaries is not the same as winning over mainstream America.
Republicans are already moving to use these results in the fall. Candidates like Mike Lawler plan to link their Democratic opponents directly to the socialist label. [2] That strategy could resonate strongly with working-class voters who fled the Democratic Party over the past decade. Nationally, the picture is more mixed — moderates held their own in Iowa and other states — but New York’s results are hard to ignore. [19] The Democratic Party’s loudest, most organized wing just proved it can topple even well-funded incumbents backed by the party’s top leaders.
Sources:
[2] Web – 2024 New York Democratic presidential primary – Wikipedia
[9] Web – Election Results Summary | NYC Board of Elections
[19] Web – How factional primaries could turn a Democratic wave into a trickle
