Progressive Democrats win New York primaries amid Israel debate

Brad Lander’s defeat of Rep. Dan Goldman in New York’s 10th Congressional District gave progressive Democrats their sharpest New York victory yet, with Lander taking 55,060 votes, or 65.8%, to Goldman’s 28,445, or 34%, with 92% counted. In a city with the nation’s largest Jewish population outside Israel and about 1.4 million Jewish residents in the greater New York area, the June 23 Democratic primaries became a direct test of how far criticism of Israel can go in a major urban electorate.

The result was not isolated. Darializa Avila Chevalier unseated Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District, and Claire Valdez was on track to succeed retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez in the 7th District after running on sharply critical views of Israel. The Associated Press said the contests accelerated the party’s debate over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while POLITICO described the night as a major blow to pro-Israel politics in New York.

Lander, a former city comptroller backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, framed the fight in blunt terms after his win. Democrats are “painfully divided” over the U.S. relationship to Israel, he said, adding that he would be one of the Jewish members of Congress most willing to stand up loud for Palestinian human rights. Progressive groups including Jewish Voice for Peace Action and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice celebrated the outcome, while pro-Israel leaders in New York expressed alarm at the three victories.

The money behind the fight was just as striking as the vote totals. POLITICO reported that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s affiliated super PAC, United Democracy Project, had spent more than $38 million in the 2026 cycle. City & State said UDP put $650,000 into BOLD America to oppose Avila Chevalier and support Espaillat, underscoring how heavily outside spending has entered local primaries that once tilted automatically toward candidates seen as pro-Israel.

The shift reflects broader public-opinion changes that are especially visible among younger voters. Pew Research has found that younger Americans hold more negative views of Israel than older adults, and an AJC survey found that 85% of American Jewish adults still believe it is important for the United States to support Israel after Oct. 7. That split helps explain why New York Democrats are now forced to manage a more fractured coalition, with senior figures such as Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries facing competing demands from younger urban progressives, Jewish voters, and pro-Israel donors.