Democrats were jolted Tuesday night after three anti-Israel socialist candidates endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani won their New York House primary contests, prompting warnings that the results signal a major generational and ideological shift inside the party as more voters rally behind the far left.
“The roof is collapsing on the Democratic Party establishment tonight,” progressive activist and CNN commentator Van Jones told Kaitlan Collins as the returns came in.
Jones said New York City could not be dismissed as an outlier, arguing that the city remains a central battleground for both the party’s entrenched leadership and its insurgent wing.
“And right now, this is no longer a movement. This is a movement and a machine at the same time. And there’s just no way to sugarcoat this: if Mamdani pulls off a hat trick this is a new era in Democratic Party politics,” he said.
In the 10th District, former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander decisively defeated Rep. Dan Goldman, while Darializa Avila Chevalier, a left-wing candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, delivered a surprise victory reminiscent of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s 2018 upset by beating Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District.
Rep. Claire Valdez also cruised to victory in the 7th District, defeating Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso by more than 20 percentage points.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), whose willingness to break with fellow Democrats has irritated parts of his party since his own unexpected 2022 win, was blunt about his unease over Tuesday’s outcomes during an appearance with Fox News host Sean Hannity.
“This has become the dancing days of the dirtbag left,” Fetterman said.
“Some of these candidates are outrageous. You have candidates, they [want to] abolish ICE, abolish police, abolish the border. She even said ‘f Kamala Harris’ and more of these outrageous kinds of things,” the senator said, referencing a deleted, expletive-laced social media post by Chevalier in 2021.
Fetterman spared some ire for leftist kingmaker Mamdani, whom he said was “grieving a Hamas sniper who [was] killed by Israel just the other day,” referring to Al Jazeera journalist Ahmed Wishah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike and Israel Defense Forces claimed was a Hamas triggerman.
He said the slate of candidates who won their races represent the “full pro-Hamas wing” of the party who have declared “war on regular Democrats.”
Other moderate Dems said the election results highlight the party’s ongoing identity crisis.
READ MORE: IVF Doctor Speaks Out: Unexpected Racial Mix-Up Leaves White Couple with Non-Caucasian Baby
“People who do not support the DSA wring their hands at cocktail parties, while the DSA is organizing,” NY Rep. Tom Suozzi, co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, told Axios.
“Economic insecurity, climate change and immigrant justice are all real problems, and alternative solutions must be offered. It’s time for a great deal of hard work to out-organize the extremists on the right and left,” he said.
“It was a tough night,” Rep. Greg Meeks (D-NY) told the outlet, while another moderate House Democrat speaking on the condition of anonymity called the results an “earthquake” and “huge defeat” for establishment Democrats.
“Appeasement doesn’t work. You have to be tough. Nancy Pelosi brought a machine gun to a knife fight. You can’t win with these guys by playing patty cake,” they added.
The anonymous centrist Democrat said the incoming wave of democratic socialists will be a “migraine” for party leadership starting next year.
“Calling it a headache is an understatement,” the lawmaker said.
“Holy s–t,” another senior House Democrat told the outlet. “Buckle up.”
