Mamdani-backed Democrats win New York primaries in rebuke to Israel support

Zohran Mamdani, who rose to prominence last year, backed a slate of progressive Democrats that swept three New York congressional primaries on Tuesday, defeating two sitting members. The contests played out in America's largest Jewish population center, where the war in Gaza, AIPAC spending and arguments over Palestinian rights became central campaign issues.

Brad Lander, the former city comptroller and self-described liberal Zionist, won New York's 10th Congressional District primary over Rep. Dan Goldman by 55,060 votes, or 65.8 percent, to 28,445 votes, or 34 percent, with 92 percent of ballots counted. Lander made the race a referendum on Israel policy and said he would be "one of the Jewish members of Congress most willing to stand up loud for Palestinian human rights." His victory denied Goldman, who had the backing of the Democratic establishment, a second term.

Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old pro-Palestinian activist and Ph.D. student, ousted Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in Upper Manhattan. Her campaign centered criticism of Israel and framed the Gaza war as a defining issue, while opponents and allied groups poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into efforts to blunt her rise, including spending tied to AIPAC and its super PAC, United Democracy Project. Early returns put Avila Chevalier ahead by less than 5 percentage points.

Claire Valdez won the retirement race for Rep. Nydia Velázquez's seat after criticizing her opponent for taking too long to use the word genocide and for trying to tie him to AIPAC.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries campaigned against Mamdani's candidates and lost, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer faces a more fractious coalition on Israel and Gaza.