The democratic socialist mayor expanded his influence over the Democratic Party, going three for three in congressional primaries.Show Caption
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's endorsed candidates won three Democratic congressional primaries against more mainstream contenders.The victories signal a growing influence of the democratic socialist wing within the national Democratic party.In South Carolina, President Trump endorsed both candidates in the GOP gubernatorial runoff, with Alan Wilson ultimately winning.New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani expanded his influence June 23 by sweeping all three Democratic primaries for Congress where he had made endorsements against more mainstream liberal contenders.The 34-year-old democratic socialist's choices were pitted against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also of New York, in what will likely be viewed as a big and successful early test at establishing a new faction within the national party."The old politics that got us into this crisis is not the politics that’s going to get us out of this crisis," Mamdani said at Valdez's victory party.Other Democratic primaries to replace longtime incumbents — such as New York's Jerry Nadler and Maryland's Steny Hoyer — also drew attention for further demonstrating the party's generational sea change, including the declining significance of the Kennedy family aura.All these races were intramural referendums in liberal districts over how to combat the affordability crisis, billionaire interests and President Donald Trump's administration.The president was also at the center of the South Carolina runoff for governor, in which he prevented an embarrassing loss for his preferred candidate by also endorsing her opponent at the last minute.Mamdani trounces the Democratic establishmentThe Mamdani slate included Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez – a trio who favored abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and labeled Israel's actions in Gaza a genocide.Lander, a former New York City comptroller who does not identify as a democratic socialist, was the first to pick up a win Tuesday. He defeated Rep. Dan Goldman, a former prosecutor who steered one of Trump's impeachment trials.But like many mainstream Democrats, the congressman's fortunes were increasingly tied to past support for Israel.Goldman was slammed for refusing to decline support during this race from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, which has become a significant split in various Democratic primaries this year. Preliminary results showed Lander winning by a 2-to-1 margin in a district covering lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn."It is time for the Democratic Party to walk away from dark money — from PACs funded by crypto, Wall Street, AI and AIPAC," Lander said during his victory speech on Tuesday. "People can see through this. They have seen through it for a long time."Valdez, a first-term assemblywoman defeated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in a district that covers trendy, gentrifying areas that were once mostly working-class and Latino in northwestern Brooklyn and Queens. The seat is being left open by retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez, who endorsed Reynoso, as did many local elected officials.During the primary the two contenders agreed on most issues, but Valdez argued throughout the campaign that Reynoso wasn't outspoken enough.Perhaps the most impressive victory result came in last with Avila Chevalier, a doctoral student and community organizer, defeating Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-New York, the head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus by about four percentage points in a district covering northern Manhattan and a portion of the Bronx.Avila Chevalier survived a deluge of attacks for previous social media posts that called for abolishing the police and prisons. She also called veterans "war criminals" and former President Joe Biden a "rapist," although she apologized during the campaign."The same billionaires that attacked Zohran Mamdani are now spending millions against me," Avila Chevalier said in an ad responding to the attacks. "They know that unlike Adriano Espaillat, I can’t be bought and I won’t back down to Trump."Both Valdez and Avila Chevalier are members of the Democratic Socialists of America.Jeffries: 'Agree to strongly disagree' with MamdaniWhen Mamdani won the New York City mayor's race last November, Republicans signaled early that democratic socialism's rising influence would be an attack line for the GOP in 2026.Jeffries backed the incumbents and tried to downplay the proxy war, telling reporters on Capitol Hill he doesn't believe he's on "opposite pages" with Mamdani."There are 215 members of the House Democratic caucus, a handful of primaries that go in one direction or the other in a given state or two aren't going to reshape who we are," Jeffries said.But it is clear that some on the left view it as a repudiation of Jeffries and the party's leadership. Hasan Piker, a popular left-leaning influencer, taunted Jeffries in a profanity-laced video from Valdez's election night victory party.Democratic socialism is gaining traction in urban Democratic primaries across the country. Janeese Lewis George, a self-described democratic socialist, won the mayoral primary in Washington, D.C. earlier in June.Trump-backed candidate beats Trump-backed candidate in S.C.President Donald Trump avoided supporting a loser in the Republican runoff for South Carolina governor by endorsing both contenders.After originally endorsing Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, a longtime supporter, ahead of the June 9 gubernatorial primary he came out in support of Attorney General Alan Wilson, too."Both have had amazing careers, and have been with me from the beginning," Trump said in a June 19 social media post.Wilson, a National Guard veteran and the son of Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., was declared the victor less than an hour after the polls closed. He will face Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson in a general election that most forecast the GOP to win.But the president's choice to endorse both contenders had GOP voters scratching their heads.Leading up to the runoff, polls had shown Wilson ahead. After Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidates lost in Iowa and Georgia, the president hedged his bets.Utah likely sending a Democrat to CongressAmid the national redistricting war Trump started to keep hold of Congress, you might have missed that a court-ordered map in Utah created a deep blue congressional seat.Four Democrats jousted over the new compact district, which is anchored by Salt Lake City, with divisions popping up between different ideological wings.In the end former Rep. Ben McAdams finished at the top of the pile, besting state Sen. Nate Blouin, who was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, of Vermont, and Liban Mohamed, a former TikTok and Meta public policy analyst who was supported by 51% of delegates at the Utah Democratic convention in April.McAdams was the last Democrat that Utah sent to Congress when he won by less than 700 votes, but his more conservative approach — he described himself as anti-abortion once — that helped him in 2018 became a lightning rod during this campaign.The seat is rated as solidly Democratic by forecasters and McAdams will face Republican Riley Owen, who ran unopposed, this November.Camelot coming to a close? JFK's grandson loses primary fightThe contest to replace Nadler, who spearheaded the Trump impeachment trial, featured plenty of interesting personalities but none more so than Jack Schlossberg, the quirky grandson of slain former President John F. Kennedy.That lineage become a source of attention and scorn for the 33-year-old first time candidate, who created what critics called out as a sometimes outlandish social media personality to generate attention.But that wasn't enough to propel the Kennedy scion into Congresss as results showed him losing decisively to Micah Lasher, a state assemblyman. Speaking to supporters, however, Schlossberg evoked his grandfather's most famous speech before pumping his fist and exiting the stage. "All of us ask not what our country can do, but what we can do to help our city," he said.Contributing: Terry Collins
