Zohran Mamdani’s picks take key House primaries amid a broad battle over Democrats’ direction

Three of the New York mayor’s candidates have won contested races, part of a slate of House primaries flush with influence and campaign cash.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and key allies secured major wins in Tuesday’s congressional primaries as they looked to build on his 2025 victory by expanding the power and presence of the democratic socialist movement in Washington.

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Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander dethroned Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman in the Democratic primary for New York’s 10th District without much tension Tuesday, the first victory for the Mamdani-backed slate. Lander captured about two-thirds of the vote.

Soon afterward, NBC News projected that state legislator Claire Valdez had defeated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the open 7th District, where longtime Rep. Nydia Velázquez is retiring. Velázquez — and a number of prominent city political leaders — backed Reynoso, who leaned on his relationships in Brooklyn and his record on issues like police reform.