Iowa's Feenstra Upset Looms Over Tuesday Primaries
Tuesday's primary elections in New York, Maryland, and Utah, along with a South Carolina runoff, will test the strength of the far-left socialist movement and President Donald Trump's endorsement power. Iowa voters already delivered a clear message on Trump's clout by rejecting his endorsed candidate, Representative Randy Feenstra, in favor of businessman and farmer Zach Lahn earlier this month. Now, the political spotlight shifts to how voters handle a socialist takeover attempt in New York and a double endorsement in South Carolina.
What is the far-left's plan for New York's congressional delegation?
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is not running for Congress, but he is the driving force behind an effort to remake the state's delegation. Mamdani is backing three far-left candidates tied to the Democratic Socialists of America to challenge mainstream Democratic incumbents. His targets include Representative Adriano Espaillat in the Bronx and Representative Dan Goldman in Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. Mamdani is also backing Assembly Member Claire Valdez for an open seat in Queens.
Those incumbent lawmakers backed other candidates in the mayor's race. Mamdani also views them as insufficiently adversarial toward Israel in its war on Hamas. Other prominent democratic socialists include Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose district spans the Bronx and Queens.
Mamdani's push puts him directly at odds with Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Jeffries needs to protect Democratic incumbents and lead his party back into the majority. While the outcomes in these three districts will not impact Democrats' path to power, they will test Mamdani's clout and the strength of the democratic socialist movement.
Mamdani is using his popularity among young voters to elevate far-left challengers. Darializa Avila Chevalier, an activist and doctoral student, is running against the five-term Espaillat, who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Brad Lander, a former New York City comptroller and ex-mayoral candidate, is challenging Representative Dan Goldman. Goldman is a former federal prosecutor who led House Democrats' investigation into the first impeachment of President Donald Trump. Valdez faces Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and New York City Council Member Julie Won in a crowded primary to succeed retiring Representative Nydia Velazquez.
Can Republican Mike Lawler hold his vulnerable Hudson Valley seat?
U.S. Representative Mike Lawler, a vulnerable Republican, will find out his general election opponent on Tuesday. Lawler represents a district that Kamala Harris won in the 2024 presidential election.
The top Democratic candidates are combat veteran and national security expert Cait Conley, a member of the