"Huge defeat": Democrats left reeling after socialist "earthquake" in New York
politics
In New York's Democratic primary, progressive and democratic socialist candidates decisively defeated two establishment incumbents. According to Axios, Representative Dan Goldman lost to Brad Lander, a former New York City comptroller, by more than thirty percentage points. Representative Adriano Espaillat, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, lost to democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier. In a race to succeed retiring Representative Nydia Velázquez, democratic socialist State Assembly member Claire Valdez won by double digits.
The three victories are poised to double the number of Democratic Socialists of America members in Congress. The results have split the party: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries backed the losing incumbents, while New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani backed the winners. Moderate Democrats called the results an "earthquake" and a "huge defeat," while progressives celebrated what they see as evidence of surging grassroots energy. One senior Democratic lawmaker summed up the mood: "Holy shit. Buckle up."
Source: https://www.axios.com/2026/06/24/mamdani-lander-valdez-ch...
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