New York’s reliably Democratic political landscape saw a significant shift Tuesday as socialist-backed candidates made major gains in state legislative primaries.
Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America appeared on track to defeat several incumbents and establishment-backed Democrats in key primary contests.
Seven of the eight DSA-backed contenders were positioned to win their races, a result that would expand the group’s presence in Albany from nine lawmakers to 14.
If the primary results stand and the expected winners go on to prevail in November’s general election, allies of Mayor Zohran Mamdani within the DSA would hold four seats in the 63-member state Senate and 10 seats in the 150-member Assembly. Republicans currently control 22 seats in the Senate and 47 in the Assembly.
Early vote totals showed three Democratic incumbents in Brooklyn and Queens losing to DSA-backed challengers, including Assemblyman Erik Dilan of Brooklyn, Assemblywoman Stefani Zinerman of Brooklyn and Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar of Queens.
In Harlem, Assemblyman Jordan Wright of Manhattan appeared to be the only Assembly incumbent to withstand a challenge from a DSA-endorsed opponent.
Here are the DSA candidates set to cruise to primary election victory:
Christian Celeste Tate
Tate, a nonprofit worker and activist, was poised to unseat Dilan in Brooklyn, leading with 62% of the vote as 99% of precincts had reported.
With support from both the Working Families Party and the DSA, Tate’s race became one of the clearest pickup opportunities for the socialist organization in Brooklyn.
Dilan is the son of former state Sen. Martin Dilan and had served in the Assembly since 2015. The senior Dilan lost a primary to lefty state Sen. Julia Salazar (D-Brooklyn) in 2018.
Eon Huntley
Repeat socialist challenger Huntley defeated Assemblywoman Stefani Zinerman (D-Brooklyn), with 58% of the vote with 98% of precincts reporting.
Huntley previously mounted an unsuccessful bid to unseat Zinerman in 2024.
The lefty has outwardly supported decriminalizing prostitution and softening sentencing requirements for criminals.
David Orkin
Queens’ “Lady in Red” found herself washed up in a red wave, losing her primary to DSA candidate Orkin.
Orkin, a lefty attorney and union organizer ousted Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Queens) with 59% of the vote after 99% of precincts had reported.
Rajkumar, a peculiar pol with a penchant for wearing red dresses, was a close ally of ex-Mayor Eric Adams’.
Aber Kawas
Kawas — the DSA member and Mamdani-backed candidate who once described 9/11 as a terror attack that a “couple people did” — cinched the Democratic nomination to rep a western Queens based state senate district Tuesday night.
Kawas, a self-described “Muslim civil right advocate,” won with 60% of the vote in her primary race against Assemblyman Steven Raga (D-Queens) to replace outgoing state Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Queens) with 95% of precincts reporting.
Kawas has also been listed as a speaker for CAIR, a controversial Muslim charity accused of Hamas links.
While Gianaris, who held a significant amount of power as deputy majority leader and chair of Senate Democrats’ campaign arm in Albany, made endorsements in several other primary races, he did not weigh in on his chosen successor.
Illapa Sairitupa
Mamdani ally and DSA member Sairtupac won a crowded Democratic primary to rep the Lower East Side and Chinatown in the state Assembly.
The 29-year-old “anti-ICE activist and tenant organizer” won 36% of the vote in the six-way open primary to replace incumbent 65th District Assemblywoman Grace Lee (D-Manhattan) who is running for state Senate.
Sairtupac, the son of Peruvian immigrants, unsuccessfully challenged Lee in 2023.
Diana Moreno
Assemblywoman Diana Moreno (D-Queens) won a special election for the Queens Assembly seat Mamdani vacated when he became mayor — keeping it in DSA hands.
She successfully fended off a primary from Mary Jobaida who had failed to garner much steam after Moreno received Mamdani and the DSA’s blessing ahead of the special election.
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Moreno carried 78% of the vote with 97% of precincts reporting.
Samantha Kattan
Mandani’s favored pick to fill a western Queens seat previously repped by congressional candidate Claire Valdez won her election over a former AOC staffer.
“Proud democratic socialist” Kattan won with 67% of the vote over Pia Rahman’s 16%, keeping Valdez’s seat in DSA hands.
Melissa Orlanda, the former President of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce finished with 17% of the vote with 94% of precincts reporting.
While socialist darling Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did not endorse in the race, Kattan was backed by the DSA’s Big Apple chapter and by Mamdani.
The first-time candidate previously worked as a tenant organizer as well as a stint as chief of staff for socialist Brooklyn Assemblywoman Phara Souffrant Forrest.
Other state legislative races of note:
Conrad Blackburn
A lefty lawyer’s bid to take down a Harlem dynasty appeared to fail Tuesday night.
Harlem Assemblyman Jordan Wright (D-Manhattan) held onto his seat with 54% of the vote Tuesday evening with 89% of precincts reporting.
He fended off a challenge from DSA-backed public defender Blackburn, who trailed behind with 46% of the vote.
Wright is son of Manhattan Democratic Committee Chairman and longtime Harlem pol Keith Wright.
Diana Ayala
Ex-City Councilmember Ayala knocked out incumbent Harlem Assemblyman Eddie Gibbs (D-Manhattan).
Ayala carried 52% of the vote with 90% of precincts reporting Tuesday evening. Gibbs carried only 32% of the vote.
Ayala’s victory represents a pickup for Hispanic lawmakers amid higher-profile fights between establishment pols of all stripes in Harlem.
Gibbs has aggravated his colleagues in Albany over his two terms and was formally condemned last year for making lewd remarks about his mother and ex-Rep. Charles Rangel on the Assembly floor.
Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas
Voters punished state Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens), a 2025 mayoral contender who got behind ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s bid for Gracie Mansion, ditching her for primary challenger Assembly Member Gonzalez-Rojas (D-Queens).
Gonzalez-Rojas decidedly bested Ramos, taking 48% of the vote with 96% of precincts reporting.
Ramos trailed behind with just 37%. Her lefty supporters soured on her when she endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo for mayor over Mamdani.
Former state Sen. Hiram Monserrate pulled in about 14% of the vote.
Brian Romero
Mamdani-backed Romero coasted to victory in his Queens assembly district, easily fending off his newcomer opponent, Democrat Rosa Sanchez.
Romero will seamlessly take the seat of his former boss, Assemblywoman Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas (D-Queens), who was poised to take a state Senate seat.
Romero clinched 67% of the vote with 97% of precincts reporting.
He didn’t receive the official backing of the DSA for his run – with the far-left group opting to back Kawas before she switched the race to run for State Senate District 12.
Eli Northrup
Northrup, a public defender backed by Mamdani, won the Democratic primary for the Upper West Side’s 69th Assembly District with 60% of the vote.
He defeated Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay in a closely watched race to fill the seat being vacated by Assemblyman Micah Lasher, who ran for congress.
This is Northrop’s second bid after losing to Lasher in 2024.
Northrup, 41, spent over a decade at the Bronx Defenders and earned progressive endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Working Families Party.
