Three progressive candidates who believe Israel has committed genocide in Gaza won Democratic primaries in New York on Tuesday, ousting two incumbents and securing a retiring member's seat. The victories signal a growing divide within the Democratic Party over US support for Israel, an issue that has become a litmus test for left-wing candidates.
Progressive Victories Reshape New York Delegation
New York City Comptroller Brad Lander defeated Congressman Dan Goldman by more than 30 percentage points in the 10th Congressional District. Lander, who will be one of the Jewish members of Congress most willing to stand up for Palestinian human rights, called Joe Biden's embrace of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a catastrophic failure that made the US complicit in genocide.
In the 13th Congressional District, doctoral student Darializa Avila Chevalier narrowly beat five-term Congressman Adriano Espaillat, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, after criticizing him for accepting money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). In the 7th District, state Assembly member Claire Valdez won the primary to replace retiring Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, defeating Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso after convincing voters she was more opposed to Israel.
Impact on Democratic Party Dynamics
The victories have sent shockwaves through the Democratic establishment. Usamah Andrabi, spokesman for Justice Democrats, said the wins demonstrate progress against lobbies like AIPAC, which has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to influence elections. He noted that voters now have candidates who not only reject AIPAC money but also uncompromisingly oppose continued funding for the genocide and support a free Palestine.
More than 75,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, after Hamas militants killed some 1,200 and took 250 hostage in an attack on Israel. A UN commission and human rights groups have determined that Israel's actions amount to genocide, a term that has roiled Democratic primaries nationwide.
Voter Sentiment and Litmus Test
Manny Fidel, a 34-year-old writer from Brooklyn, said he supported Lander because of his clear-headed views on Israel and Palestine, which he described as the big issue of the race and a moral issue of our time. Corbin Trent, a former aide to Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, compared US involvement in Gaza to the 2003 Iraq invasion, saying it wakes voters to the consequences of Washington's actions overseas.
Reactions from Opponents and Allies
Former Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison criticized Avila Chevalier, saying those who hate the Democratic Party should not run for its nomination. Former Congressman Tom Malinowski warned that endorsing candidates based solely on their stance on Israel could create a mirror image of the MAGA movement. Congressional Republicans seized on the wins as proof that communists have taken over the Democratic Party.
National Implications
All three winners are expected to win in November due to heavily Democratic districts. The trend may continue in Colorado, where 15-term Congresswoman Diana DeGette faces a primary challenge from democratic socialist Melat Kiros, who has criticized her for being too supportive of Israel. In Michigan, the issue looms in the Senate race to replace retiring Senator Gary Peters, with candidates like Mallory McMorrow and Abdul El-Sayed accusing Israel of committing genocide.
Bill Galston, a former domestic policy adviser to President Bill Clinton, predicted that every Democratic presidential candidate in 2028 will be required to declare their stance on the United States' position toward Israel, a question largely evaded in 2024.
