Mamdani’s political gamble pays off as his endorsed candidates sweep their primaries

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during the “Our Team, Our Year” Get Out The Vote rally in Brooklyn, New York, on June 18. Mamdani-backed progressive candidates swept their primary elections, putting his political power on display.

Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images

Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images

Primary night in New York marked the first major test for Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s political movement, and it was widely successful.

All three of Mamdani’s endorsed candidates for Congress were victorious, marking a massive win for the left and a major blow for establishment Democrats.

Mamdani endorsed in three competitive House primary matchups in New York City, breaking with Democratic leaders by throwing support behind leftist candidates who were unafraid to criticize Israel and push for ambitious economic policies.

Congressional candidates Claire Valdez, Brad Lander and Darializa Avila Chevalier raise their hands with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a Get Out the Vote rally on June 18, 2026 in New York City.

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

The biggest upset of the night came in New York’s 13th district, where Mamdani-backed candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old community organizer and democratic socialist, narrowly defeated five-term incumbent Democrat Adriano Espaillat, 71, to represent Upper Manhattan and part of the Bronx. That’s according to a race call by The Associated Press.

Espaillat, who was the first Dominican-American elected to Congress and chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, had a slew of endorsements from powerful elected Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

But establishment Democrats also suffered a blow elsewhere in the city, including in New York’s 10th congressional district. Progressive challenger and former City Comptroller Brad Lander decisivelyunseated two-term Rep. Dan Goldman, also endorsed by Jeffries.

Plus, in the open race to succeed retiring progressive Rep. Nydia Velázquez in New York’s 7th district, Mamdani threw his support behind state Rep. Claire Valdez, a democratic socialist, instead of Antonio Reynoso, who had the backing of Velázquez and the Working Families Party.

These districts heavily favor Democrats, meaning Valdez, Lander and Avila Chevalier are expected to win their general election matchups in the fall.

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