Mamdani’s socialist picks sweep three primaries

By Susan Ferrechio - The Washington Times - Wednesday, June 24, 2026

A trio of candidates endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani won primaries on Tuesday in a sweep that cements his status as the new kingmaker in a Democratic Party he’s pushing toward socialism.

The three Mamdani-backed Democrats crushed establishment candidates, pledging socialist policies to end deportations, build affordable housing on golf courses and raise taxes on the rich.

In a stunning upset, former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, a socialist who pledged to serve as Mr. Mamdani’s ally in Congress, handily defeated two-term Democratic incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman.

Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who heads the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, shockingly lost his bid for a fifth term to Darializa Avila Chevalier, a former Mamdani campaign staffer who helped organize anti-Israel protests at Columbia University. Ms. Chevalier was part of a campus group that called for “Death to America” and, in deleted social media posts, supported abolishing the police and prisons and opposed all deportations of illegal immigrants.

A third Mamdani pick, socialist state Assembly Member Claire Valdez, defeated Antonio Reynoso, who was backed by Democratic leaders in the race to replace retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez.

Mr. Mamdani’s endorsement sweep comes a year after his own shocking upset in the New York mayoral primary, in which he defeated former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“A year ago, it was not the end of a political movement. It was the beginning,” Mr. Mamdani told the crowd at Ms. Valdez’s victory party.

Supporters shouted “DSA! DSA!”

Ms. Valdez and Ms. Chevalier were both endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America.

“These victories prove that democratic socialists are building a winning coalition. While the Democratic establishment and MAGA fascists ignore the needs of working people, democratic socialists are speaking to the ever-growing base of voters demanding we end war, abolish ICE, tax the rich and win universal healthcare. New Yorkers looking for a better life know that democratic socialist politicians stand with them,” New York City DSA Co-Chair Grace Mausser said.

While the picks were a rebuke of Democratic Party leaders, Republicans gleefully declared socialism had taken over their ranks.

“Mamdani is the leader of the Democratic Party,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday on CNBC.