Big Money Burned — Left Wins Anyway

Socialist-backed candidates just knocked out two sitting Democratic congressmen in New York — and the hard left is calling it a mandate to remake America.

Story Snapshot

Three candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani won key Democratic primaries, defeating two incumbent congressmen.
Brad Lander crushed Dan Goldman with 65.7% of the vote and earned an endorsement from socialist Senator Bernie Sanders.
Claire Valdez beat establishment-backed Antonio Reynoso by 20 points in New York’s 7th Congressional District.
The Democratic Socialists of America won these races despite super PACs spending $9.6 million to stop them.

Socialists Oust Two Democratic Incumbents in New York

New York’s June 2026 Democratic primaries delivered a stunning result. Three candidates endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani won their races, including two upsets against sitting members of Congress. Brad Lander defeated Rep. Dan Goldman with 65.7% of the vote. Claire Valdez beat Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso by 20 points. Darializa Avila Chevalier unseated Rep. Adriano Espaillat. All three winners have ties to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).^[2]

The wins were not flukes. The DSA ran a packed slate of 10 candidates across congressional, state Assembly, and state Senate races. They won up and down the ballot. Mamdani called the results a “clear mandate” for a new political era focused on working people. He also used the moment to call for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and to frame the wins as a fight against what he called “billionaire” power.

Big Money Couldn’t Stop the Socialist Surge

Establishment forces spent heavily to hold the line. Super PACs poured $9.6 million into state legislative races against DSA candidates — nearly five times what they spent in 2024.^[5] It didn’t work. The DSA won anyway. That level of outside spending shows how seriously party insiders took the threat. The fact that it failed shows how strong the socialist movement has become inside New York’s Democratic Party.

Brad Lander also earned the endorsement of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, the country’s most prominent democratic socialist. Sanders’ backing gave Lander national credibility and helped energize the base. Lander has vowed to be one of the most vocal Jewish members of Congress defending Palestinian causes — a position that puts him at odds with many mainstream Democrats and virtually all Republicans.^[2]

Who Are These Candidates?

Claire Valdez supports a state government takeover of utility companies. She declared after her win that “free Palestine was on the ballot.” Darializa Avila Chevalier campaigned on economic support for working-class voters and advocates abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Her supporters chanted “Espaillat afuera” — Spanish for “Espaillat out” — on election night. Both candidates align closely with the DSA’s far-left policy agenda.

Meet the socialists who dominated Tuesday’s primaries in New York City.

Darializa Avila Chevalier, 32, is perhaps the most brazenly hostile candidate toward Israel to have made it this far in American politics. A 32-year-old PhD candidate with no prior experience in office, she… pic.twitter.com/qScPVmvIRK

— The Free Press (@TheFP) June 25, 2026

Not everyone in the Democratic Party is celebrating. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he is “not making enemies on Capitol Hill by endorsing against incumbents,” signaling he wants no part of the socialist wave. Former Democratic National Committee Chair Amy Harrison was more blunt, saying: “If you hate the Democratic Party, then please don’t run for our nomination.” Pro-Israel Democrat Ritchie Torres also won his race in a landslide, showing the socialist movement has real limits outside of heavily left-leaning districts.

What This Means for the Rest of the Country

These wins matter beyond New York. The DSA has been growing in influence across major U.S. cities. Democratic socialist candidates have also recently made gains in mayoral primaries in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. Speaker Mike Johnson has warned that socialism is “coming for you,” and these results give that warning fresh urgency. For conservatives, the message is clear: the far left is not retreating. It is advancing — primary by primary, city by city.^[5]

The good news is that these wins came in deeply blue urban districts. Candidates like Valdez and Chevalier would face a very different electorate in a general election outside New York City. But the trend is worth watching. Every seat the DSA picks up gives the socialist wing of the Democratic Party more power to push radical policies — higher taxes, open borders, government control of the economy — into the national debate. Conservatives should take notice and stay engaged.