Two Democratic House primaries in New York City are shaping up as a fierce battle between the party’s leftist and progressive wings, with democratic socialist candidates challenging incumbents in contests marked by heavy outside spending and deep divisions over Israel.
Claire Valdez, a state assemblymember and democratic socialist, is running against Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the 7th Congressional District, while Darializa Avila Chevalier, a PhD student and public defender investigator, is taking on Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District. Both socialist candidates have the endorsement of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a rising figure on the left who is testing his political influence in these races.
The contests have laid bare the fault lines between the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the broader progressive movement, with Mamdani pitted against some of his fellow left-leaning officials in Albany and Washington. The DSA sees these primaries as a chance to build on recent electoral wins in New York, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., and to push the party further left.
“What we are trying to drive home is that we don’t need more people with just good ideas in office,” said Grauce Mausser, co-chair of NYC-DSA. “There are a lot of people in Congress who have good ideas. There are a lot of people who identify as progressive. There are not a lot of people who are committed not only to organizing their colleagues in Congress, but to building up a movement outside of Congress in order to truly shift and change political conditions.”
The winners of Tuesday’s primaries are expected to cruise to victory in November, given the deep blue nature of both districts. In the 7th District, which covers parts of Brooklyn and Queens, Valdez is also facing City Council Member Julie Won and public defender Vichal Kumar. Valdez has secured endorsements from the NYC-DSA, Mamdani, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, while Reynoso is backed by retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez and the New York Working Families Party.
In the 13th District, which spans parts of the Bronx and Manhattan, Espaillat has the support of a broad coalition that includes Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, Velázquez, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC. Avila Chevalier is backed by Mamdani and the NYC-DSA. The race has been roiled by reports that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has sought to support Espaillat, a point of attack for his challenger.
The NYC-DSA has not endorsed former Comptroller Brad Lander in his primary against Rep. Dan Goldman in the 10th District, though Mausser noted that many DSA members are sympathetic to Lander, who became a key ally of Mamdani after his own mayoral run. The Working Families Party is backing both Reynoso and Lander, but co-director Jasmine Gripper emphasized that their organization does not always align with the DSA.
“The political project of the Working Families Party is not simply socialist; it’s electing Working Families champions,” Gripper said.
Beyond the labels, the campaigns have focused less on broad policy differences and more on the influence of outside spending and candidates’ stances on Israel and the war in Gaza. Valdez has hammered Reynoso for not calling the situation in Gaza a “genocide” and for taking contributions from real estate interests. Reynoso and Won have criticized Valdez for shifting her position on super PAC contributions. In the 10th District, Lander has attacked Goldman’s stance on the war, while Goldman enjoys backing from establishment figures like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Hochul.
Adin Lenchner, a New York City-based Democratic strategist, said the primaries are ultimately about authenticity. “To see so many different compelling versions of a progressive future playing out, giving voters real opportunity and choices about the kind of politics they want to build, is an amazing one,” he said.
For more on the broader DSA strategy, see our analysis of recent DSA wins in DC and LA. And for insight into Mamdani’s political capital, read our feature on how he is testing his influence in these heated primaries.
