In a political earthquake with direct implications for the American Jewish community and the future of U.S.-Israel relations, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's slate of progressive candidates swept all three targeted congressional primaries Tuesday night, with the most closely watched result being the defeat of incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman by former city comptroller Brad Lander in New York's 10th Congressional District.
With 42% of votes counted, Lander led Goldman 63% to 37%. The Associated Press declared Lander the winner of the Democratic primary. As the primary victor in a solidly Democratic district, Lander is the presumed winner of the November general election.
Goldman is the fifth House incumbent to lose a primary so far in 2026, as a wave of voters express frustration with the party's establishment leadership. His fall caps a brutal campaign in which his support for Israel became the central line of attack against him, wielded by a challenger who called Israel's military campaign a "genocide" and campaigned alongside a mayor who calls himself an anti-Zionist.
A Three-Seat Sweep for the Mamdani Machine
Goldman's defeat was not an isolated result. All three candidates backed by Mayor Mamdani, a democratic socialist, were projected to win their Democratic primaries Tuesday night: Lander in NY-10; Darializa Avila Chevalier, who defeated five-term Rep. Adriano Espaillat in NY-13; and Claire Valdez, who won the primary to replace the retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez in NY-7.
The victories will likely give the New York mayor three new allies in Congress and send a pointed message to establishment figures in Washington, including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who campaigned aggressively against Mamdani's candidates and lost.
Making a victory lap at Lander's election night party, Mamdani appeared on stage before the candidate himself. "Brad brings a kindness to this work, he brings a sincerity to this work, he brings a vision of politics that is more than what we've seen for so long," Mamdani told attendees.
Israel at the Center
The race between Goldman and Lander was, from start to finish, a battle over Israel, fought by two Jewish candidates in one of the most heavily Jewish congressional districts in the country.
Lander, who is also Jewish, was far more critical of Israel's government and its conduct in the war in Gaza, calling it a "genocide." He promised to co-sponsor legislation putting new restrictions on American military aid to Israel and repeatedly used Goldman's support from AIPAC as a cudgel with Democratic voters who have grown more critical of Israel in recent years.
During their first televised debate, Lander drew the starkest possible contrast: "He voted for every U.S. military aid package to Israel. He won't recognize it as genocide. He's never used the word occupation to describe Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza."
