June 24, 2026
New York’s 2026 state and federal primaries represented a significant shift in the direction of the Democratic party in New York, and serves as a bellweather of where the party is headed nationally. What once might have been thought of an anomaly, broad swaths of voters showed up and supported Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates and largely rejected established non-DSA Democratic candidates and incumbents. This change is getting confirmed cycle after cycle. Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s gamble on building a coalition to buck the establishment and endorse DSA candidates over incumbents has paid off, continuing the ideological divide between establishment Democrats and a growing progressive/socialist movement.
Overall, the NYS primary election results mean several incumbents will not be returning to their seats next year including Rep. Dan Goldman; Assemblymembers Jenifer Rajkumar, Erik Dilan, and Stefani Zinerman; and State Senator Jessica Ramos. In what could be considered resounding support for Mayor Mamdani’s coalition, many DSA and WFP members will be heading to the general election this fall including Claire Valdez, Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier, Aber Kawas, Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, David Orkin, Christian Celeste Tate, Eon Huntly, and Illapa Sairitupac. While this group performed very well, it wasn’t a wash in all races with several establishment candidates making it through the primary, including Rep. Tom Suozzi, Rep. Ritchie Torres, State Sen. Peter Oberacker, Rep. Joseph Morelle, and State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, and Micah Lasher (in the race for Rep. Jerry Nadler’s seat). Finally, as of writing this, two major races have yet to be called; one for retiring Assemblymember Glick and the other for Assemblymember Magnarelli.
While most districts remain safely Democratic in the general election, many primary winners will help determine the future direction of New York’s congressional delegation and State Legislature. Key issues driving races include housing affordability, transit investment, labor rights, immigration, artificial intelligence regulation, public safety, and tax policy. Several races also serve as proxy battles over the future influence of organized labor, Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the Working Families Party (WFP), and more moderate traditional democratic power structures. Due to New York State’s unique fusion voting system, several of these candidates may lose the Democratic Party Primary only to be seen in the general election under a different party line; most likely for the Working Families Party.
General elections will be held November 3, 2026.
This document, while not comprehensive, highlights several key primary races which were held on June 23rd.
Candidates: Tom Suozzi (Incumbent) (D), Danielle Welch (D), Gregory Hach (R), Michael LiPetri Jr, (R)
Incumbent Tom Suozzi defended his seat from Welch, who received the endorsement of various anti-establishment groups. On the Republican side, Hach won the competition against Trump-backed one-term former Assemblyman LiPetri. Regardless of the primaries, this seat is considered competitive for the general election.
Democratic Primary Candidates: Claire Valdez, Antonio Reynoso, Julie Won
In this race to fill retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez’s seat, Assemblymember Claire Valdez won the primary, emerging as the progressive favorite after receiving support from the broader Mamdani-aligned coalition. Though a competitive 4-way race, Valdez has outperformed Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso by nearly 20 points.
Candidates: Rep. Dan Goldman (incumbent), Brad Lander
Lander (D) unseated incumbent Congressman Dan Goldman after consolidating support from progressive activists and the Mamdani coalition while benefiting from significant grassroots enthusiasm. Despite Goldman retaining financial resources and incumbency advantages, Lander has won with a nearly 20-point advantage. A Lander victory would expand the progressive bloc in Congress and create an influential federal ally for New York City's left flank.
Candidates: Micah Lasher, Alex Bores, Jack Schlossberg, George Conway
In what became a race with national attention, this very competitive race for retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler’s seat featured two Assemblymembers, one of whom represented a more traditional establishment backing under Lasher, while Bores remained competitive due to significant out-of-state fundraising and national attention due to his leadership on artificial intelligence regulation. ALasher victory represents a reinforcement of traditional coalition-building through established Democratic networks.
With both Assemblymembers Lasher and Bores running, both seats feature opened races (Assembly Districts 69 & 73, respectively) with Eli Northrup and Stephanie Ruskey looking to replace Lasherand Vanessa Aronson and Nathaniel Gavronsky looking to replace Bores.
Candidates: Rep. Adriano Espaillat (incumbent), Darializa Avila Chevalier
Despite Congressman Adriano Espaillat retaining a strong position due to incumbency and appropriations influence, Chevalier won through mobilized progressive activiss and endorsements from Mayor Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders. A Chevalier upset significantly increases the influence of the DSA and progressive movement organizations within New York’s congressional delegation.
Candidates: Rep. Ritche Torres (Incumbent), Michael Blake, Jose Vega
In this Democratic Primary, Congressman Torres faced off against familiar faces with a rematch with Blake after the latter lost in a 2020 primary, and with Vega after they lost in a 2024 general election after running on a LaRouche (after Lyndon LaRouche) Party line. Both challengers ran against the Torres’ pro-Isreal stances and faced an uphill battle against a strong incumbency advantage.
Candidates: John Cappello, Cait Conley, Beth Davidson, Effie Philips-Staley, Mike Sacks
Conley has won in this Democratic primary race to challenge and unseat incumbent Republican Congressman Lawler in the November general election. This was a very competitive primary race featuring a variety of locally elected candidates with Conley, Davidson, and Phillips-Staley standing out in endorsements, fundraising, and local media. The Democrats are hoping to flip Lawler’s seat in the November general election.
Candidates: State Sen. Peter Oberacker, Alex Portelli
In the inverse of NY 17, this Republican primary race decided which Republican will challenge incumbent Democrat Rep. Josh Riley in November. Oberacker, a 5-year State Senator and long-time local elected official, faced off against Portelli, an entrepreneur who owns a timber farm in Otsego County, who ran to the right of Oberacker. With an Oberacker win, Riley will be up against a more established candidate this fall.
Candidates: Stuart Amoriell (D), Blake Gendebien (D), Anthony Constantino (R), Robert Smullen (R)
Having earlier announced her retirement from Congress, Republican Elise Stefanik has opened a seat for which both parties are vying. To succeed her, Assemblymember Robert Smullen faced off against Trump-backed Anthony Constantino, which opened a split between State- and Federally-aligned Republicans with the Republican Congressional Delegation endorsing Smullen and national figures like Jim Jordan and Rudy Guliani endorsing Constantino. Constantino has won this round and will face off against Gendebien in the fall.
For the Democrats, Amoriell and Gendebien faced off in a reportedly tamer primary than the GOP. Regardless of the outcome, and thanks to the State’s fusion voting system, we will see a crowded general with Michael Metzgier on the American Independent Party line, Robert Smullen on the Conservative Party Line, Blake Gendebien on the Lower Costs Now Party line, Anthony Constantino on the Taxpayer Rights Party line, and with Christopher Schmidt running as an independent.
Democratic Primary Candidates: Joseph Morelle (Incumbent), Sherita Traywick, Robin Wit
Congressman Morelle defended his seat in the Democratic Primary and will face off against Virginia McIntyre (R/C) and Kloud Wlaton (I) in the general election. In the primary, Traywick presented as a community leader with pragmatic real world experience, while Wit was the more progressive choice having secured endorsements from NY Progressive Action Network, Progressive Democrats of America and other similar progressive organizations.
Candidates: Tom DiNapoli (Incumbent), Drew Warshaw, Raj Goyle
Comptroller DiNapoli (D) has held the office of Comptroller for nearly 20 years but was challenged from the left with former Kansas legislator Goyle and former housing nonprofit executive Warshawseeking to end DiNapoli’s run. The establishment incumbent, DiNapoli, enjoyed strong support from Hochul, various unions, AG Letitia James, and various members of Congress.
At stake is the oversight over the State’s finances and where state employee pension funds are invested with investments related to Isreal, fossil fuels, and technology corporations drawing ire from opponents of DiNapoli.
Candidates: Assemblymember Steven Raga, Aber Kawas
The Democratic primary to replace outgoing Senator Mike Gianaris (D) featured a progressive and a socialist candidate, Raga and Kawas, respectively. Raga, a sitting Assemblyman, enjoyedinstitutional support while Aber, endorsed by the DSA, has entered politics through an electoral upset. Despite the contest, both candidates feature strong leftist bone fides.
Democratic Candidates: Jessica Ramos (Incumbent), Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas (JGR), Hiram Monserratte
The Democratic primary in this district provides a litmus on the ability of socialist-backed candidates, namely JGR, to unseat progressive establishment incumbents like Ramos. This race has been well covered not only for the competition but for the outcome following the Ramos’ failed bid for mayor and then often maligned decision to support former Governor Andrew Cuomo in his also failed mayoral bid.
Democratic Primary Candidates: Grace Lee, Yuh-Line Niou
Current Assemblymember Grace Lee (D) and former Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou (D) competed for outgoing Senator Brian Kavanagh’s seat. Even though Lee won the primary, we may see a rematch in November, where Lee will face Jason Murillo (R/C) and Niou again - since Niou already secured the WFP line.
Candidates: Senator Jeremy Zellner (Incumbent), Assemblymember Johnathan Rivera
Having won former Senator Sean Ryan’s seat in a special election, Zellner lost last night to Rivera who ran to the left, having received endorsements from various unions and the Working Families Party. Rivera’s bid has opened a seat for Assembly District 149 which features Adam Bojak, Karen Hoak, and Kevin Deese as candidates with Hoak being a local elected official with corresponding local support with Bojak receiving backing from Rivera and the DSA.
Democratic Primary Candidates: Nathaniel Hezekiah III, Latoya LeGrand, Tunisia Morrison, Queen Johnson, Mohammed Molla
This open seat to replace retiring Assemblymember Vivian Cook featured several viable candidates including LeGrand (former staffer to Cook and supported by the WFP), Hezekiah (staffer to Rep. Greg Meeks and Queens Party endorsee), Morrison (former staffer of Assemblymember Hyndman, endorsed by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards), and DSA-backed Queen Johnson and Mohammed Molla. The outcome of this near free-for-all race will likely redefine the character of the Queens Democratic Party.
Candidates: Jenifer Rajkumar (incumbent), David Orkin
It’s been well documented that Rajkumar, a conservative democratic ally of former Mayor Adams, was up against a strong challenge from DSA backed Orkin, a staff attorney with Make the Road NY. An Orkin victory likely will see a policy shift from pro-policing to more immigrant forward approaches.
Candidates: Erik Dilan (Incumbent), Christian Celeste Tate
Democratic incumbent Dilan was once again challenged by the DSA, having survived two other challenges from the left. While Dilan secured the backing of several major unions it was not enough, andlast night Tate was able to unseat Dilan. (Julia Salazar removed Erik’s father from his Senate seat in 2018.)
Candidates: Stefani Zinerman (Incumbent), Eon Huntly, Michael Bailey
Democrats Zinerman and Huntly were at it again after Huntly failed to unseat Zinerman in 2024. Unlike Huntly, who received support from the DSA, Zinerman enjoyed significant institutional support from Hakeen Jeffries and Letitia James but that wasn’t enough to pull through.
Democratic Primary Candidates: Jasmin Sanchez, Illapa Sairitupac, Mariama James, Wei-Li Tjong, Lilah Meijia, Jay Jacky Wong
This seat has been opened by Assemblymember Grace Lee (D) who is running for a State Senate seat. In what is arguably a more competitive race than Lee’s, several candidates have support from various democratic factions. Sairitupac won, supported by Mayor Mamdani, the DSA, the Working Families Party and several Unions. Sanchez was supported by Rep. Velazques and Citizen Action while Mejia was endorsed by City Councilmember Epstein, and Wei-Lie Tong was backed by Senator Liu. Finally, Mariama James was supported by the last three city council members and enjoys significant support from many community leaders.
Democratic Primary Candidates: Ryder Kessler, David Siffert, Benjamin Yee, Furhan Ahmad, Jeannine Kiely, Corinee Arnold
Like District 65, retiring long-time Assemblymember Deborah Glick has produced a hotly contested open primary. While Kiely is backed by Glick, the race remains too close to call with Kiely and Siffert in a virtual tie.
Candidates: Assembly William Magnarelli (Incumbent), Maurice Brown
Challenging the Assembly Transportation Chair Magnarelli (D) from the left, the Onondaga County Legislator and DSA-backed Brown is making a bid to unseat the long-time Assemblyman (nearly 30 years) by running on utility costs, bike lanes, and taxing the wealthy to fund infrastructure. As of this writing, the race remains too close to call.
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