In the Democratic primary elections for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York held on Tuesday (local time), three candidates from the "Mamdani slate," close to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who leads the progressive and left-wing faction, defeated mainstream moderate incumbents within the party.

In particular, the result in New York's 10th Congressional District, which includes Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, is considered the biggest upset of this primary.

Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, endorsed by Mayor Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT), defeated incumbent Representative Dan Goldman.

According to the Associated Press, with 92% of the votes counted as of 9 p.m., Lander overwhelmed Goldman, winning 65.8% of the vote compared to Goldman's 34.0%.

Locally, Goldman's defeat is being received with shock.

A former federal prosecutor, he rose to stardom within the Democratic Party by leading the first impeachment trial during Donald Trump's first presidential term, entering the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022.

However, unlike Lander, who is Jewish but critical of the Israeli government, Goldman's pro-Israel stance became a key point of contention in this Democratic primary.

In the 7th Congressional District (Queens and Brooklyn), Claire Valdez, a democratic socialist candidate endorsed by Mayor Mamdani, won with 56.0% of the vote, with 94% of the votes counted.

In the 13th Congressional District (Bronx and Upper Manhattan), newcomer Darializa Avila Chevalier, a former organizer for the Mamdani campaign, also secured victory.

In Manhattan's 12th Congressional District, where a "star-studded race" unfolded following the retirement of political heavyweight Representative Jerry Nadler, fame and the aura of a prestigious family lost their luster.

Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of former President John F. Kennedy (JFK) and a social media star, and lawyer George Conway, famous as an anti-Trump critic, both launched bids leveraging their high name recognition, but failed to overcome a candidate with deep local roots.

In this district, State Assemblymember Micah Lasher, who built a strong local foundation and positioned himself as Nadler's successor, secured the victory.

The 12th Congressional District also drew attention as an "artificial intelligence (AI) proxy war" among Silicon Valley heavyweights.

Proponents of AI regulation and those favoring deregulation poured massive amounts of money into a clash over State Assemblymember Alex Bores' bid for Congress—having previously led strong AI regulation laws—but Bores ultimately finished second with 35.0% of the vote.

Local media outlets, including The New York Times (NYT), analyzed these results as a reflection of shifting generational and ideological dynamics within the New York Democratic Party.

The analysis suggests that the influence of moderates, who have traditionally relied on labor unions and the organized Democratic establishment, is weakening, while the presence of the progressive left, which rallies young and progressive voters, is growing.

Reuters reported that this outcome has further elevated the standing of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and expanded the progressive left's influence within the Democratic Party.

The news agency interpreted the primary results, seen as a decisive signal shifting the ideological leanings of New York's congressional delegation further to the left, as a warning that even incumbents can be unseated if they fail to align with progressive voters dissatisfied with centrist stances on issues such as immigration, Israel, and Trump.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)