Mamdani-backed candidates defeat three NYC Democratic incumbents

Three candidates endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani won Democratic primaries for U.S. House seats on June 23, 2026, defeating two sitting representatives and the designated successor to a retiring member. The results occurred in districts that have delivered Democratic margins above 60 points in recent cycles, making the primary winners the presumptive general-election victors.

Brad Lander, former city comptroller, defeated Rep. Dan Goldman in the 10th District by roughly 66 percent to 34 percent. Claire Valdez, a state assembly member, defeated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the 7th District by about 20 points. Darializa Avila Chevalier, a community organizer, defeated Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District by fewer than four points. All three winners had received Mamdani’s endorsement; two are members of the Democratic Socialists of America.

The contests featured differences over U.S. policy toward Israel. Lander and Chevalier had criticized Israeli actions in Gaza; Goldman and Espaillat had maintained stronger support for the U.S.-Israel relationship. Economic positions also diverged, with some winners advocating abolition of ICE or higher taxes on high earners. Mamdani described the outcomes as the start of a new chapter for the party. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said a handful of primary results would not reshape the caucus. President Trump posted that states electing such candidates would “only get worse.”

Sen. John Fetterman called the results the “dancing days of the dirtbag left.” Turnout and spending data were not uniformly reported across districts, leaving the precise scale of the shift within each electorate unmeasured in most accounts.