Mamdani’s Midterm Test: Three New York Primaries Could Reshape the Progressive Left

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has placed high-profile endorsements in three competitive Democratic primaries on June 23 that could increase progressive representation in the U.S. House and test his political influence roughly six months into his administration. His own mayoral victory last year — notable because he is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) — helped galvanize the left, and these contests offer an early chance to build on that momentum.

Why These Races Matter

Wins for Mamdani’s preferred candidates would signal growing political capital for the mayor and potentially shift the balance of progressive power in New York’s congressional delegation ahead of the November midterms. Conversely, losses would suggest limits to his reach among local voters.

District 7 — Valdez vs. Reynoso

This open seat, to replace Representative Nydia Velázquez (who is not seeking re-election), has emerged as a close contest. Assemblymember Claire Valdez, a DSA member first elected to the State Assembly in 2024, faces Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, a former city council member first elected in 2014.

An Emerson College poll (May 16–17, 350 likely voters) showed Valdez at 23% and Reynoso at 21%, with City Councilmember Julie Won at 13% and 43% of respondents undecided. An earlier Data for Progress survey (Jan. 15–19, 366 likely voters) gave Reynoso a narrow lead (28% to Valdez’s 24%), with 46% undecided. The large undecided share makes the race fluid; the district is widely regarded as deeply progressive and includes neighborhoods some campaigners refer to as the city’s "Commie Corridor."

District 10 — Lander vs. Goldman

Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who ran for mayor in 2025, is challenging incumbent Representative Dan Goldman. Progressive critics argue Goldman is not aligned with the district’s left-leaning electorate and have taken issue with his stance on Israel.

An Emerson College poll (May 16–17, 450 likely voters) found Lander leading 57% to Goldman’s 23% (margin of error ±4.6%). A Schoen Cooperman Research survey (May 1–4, 465 likely voters) showed a tighter race but still favored Lander, 47% to 42%. Mamdani has defended his backing of Lander publicly; Lander and Mamdani were allied during last year’s mayoral campaign, and Lander encouraged supporters to rank Mamdani highly in the city’s ranked-choice voting mayoral primary.

District 13 — Avila Chevalier vs. Espaillat

Mamdani’s endorsement of organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier pits him against national progressives who have backed incumbent Representative Adriano Espaillat, who has represented Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx since 2017. Polling is mixed: a Data for Progress survey (June 3–9, 319 likely voters) reported Avila Chevalier ahead, 39% to Espaillat’s 35%, while an earlier Upswing Research & Strategy poll (March 25–30, 598 likely voters) showed Espaillat leading 42% to 28%.

Public Perception of Mamdani

Polling shows Mamdani enjoys plurality approval among New Yorkers but faces critics. A Marist University poll (March 26–31, 1,454 adults) found 48% approve and 30% disapprove (±3.3%). An Emerson poll (April 5–6, 850 registered voters) showed 43% approval and 27% disapproval (±3.4%).

Earlier this year Mamdani endorsed Lindsey Boylan — a DSA member and the first woman to publicly accuse former Governor Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment — in a special city council election; Boylan lost to Carl Wilson in April, and that endorsement drew criticism because Wilson is gay and the district includes a large LGBTQ+ population and several community sites important to that constituency. Mamdani also declined to back City Councilmember Chi Ossé’s primary challenge to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries; Ossé ended his campaign last month.

Bottom Line

The June 23 primaries will provide an early, high-profile gauge of whether Mamdani’s endorsements and message can move voters and strengthen the progressive left’s standing in New York and in Congress. Victories would boost momentum and political capital heading into November; defeats would be a check on Mamdani’s influence and could temper expectations for how far his political sway reaches.

Newsweek reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment.