Mamdani-backed candidates sweep New York Democratic primaries amid party split over Gaza

Several candidates backed by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani won Democratic primary races in New York City, in a result that underlined the growing influence of the city's left wing. The most closely watched contest saw progressive challenger Brad Lander defeat two-term incumbent Dan Goldman in New York's 10th congressional district. The outcome was part of a broader clean sweep for Mamdani-endorsed candidates on Tuesday.

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With most votes counted, Lander led Goldman by 65.7% to 34.1%, according to the reported tally. The race was seen as a test of Mamdani's political influence after he backed a slate of candidates aligned with the Democratic socialist wing. Lander was also endorsed by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, another prominent figure on the party's left.

The result exposed divisions inside the Democratic Party over the Israel-Gaza war. Lander has accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, while Goldman had the backing of pro-Israel groups. Both men are Jewish, and the contest drew attention beyond the district because of the way foreign policy arguments shaped a local primary.

Goldman, who was first elected to Congress in 2022, had also won praise from his party for leading the first impeachment inquiry of Donald Trump in 2019. Two other Mamdani-endorsed candidates also won their primary races, adding to the significance of the night for the city's left wing. Assemblywoman Claire Valdez unseated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the 7th district.

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Darializa Avila Chevalier, a doctoral student who has joined pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, won in New York's 13th district. The results suggest that Mamdani's backing can still carry weight in a city where debates over housing, policing and foreign policy have increasingly overlapped. The primaries also reflected a wider shift in New York Democratic politics, where younger and more openly progressive candidates have been challenging established figures.

In the 12th district, Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, lost to assemblymember Micah Lasher in a crowded race to succeed congressman Jerry Nadler. That contest added to the sense that the party's internal balance is changing, even in districts long associated with the Democratic establishment.

What remains unclear is how far this leftward momentum will carry into the next stage of the election cycle and whether the primary results will translate into broader electoral gains. The contests also leave open how Democratic leaders will respond to the sharp divisions over Israel and Gaza that were visible in several races. For now, the results stand as an early measure of Mamdani's influence and of the political mood in New York City's Democratic electorate.

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