A progressive candidate backed by New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani has won a decisive victory in his bid to join the US Congress.
On Tuesday, New York City politicians Brad Lander, Daliaza Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez secured seats in the 120th Congress, representing the 10th, 13th and 7th wards, respectively.
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All three were considered shoe-ins after the state’s June 23 party primary. Their district leans Democratic.
But their victory in the 2026 midterm elections cements the political change in the New York City region ushered in by Mamdani’s own victory as a democratic socialist in the 2025 mayoral race.
“For me, the national story is about this new generation of progressive leaders and being excited about the people who will be inspired by them, just as they were inspired by Mamdani,” Adin Lentiner, a progressive political strategist at consulting firm Carroll Street Campaigns, told Al Jazeera.
“Brad, Daria Riza and Claire are headed to advance the same vision of progressive leadership in Washington, D.C.”
All three incoming members of Congress addressed the nation Tuesday, mentioning, among other things, President Donald Trump’s promise earlier in the day to end annual military aid to Israel by the end of the year.
Cutting off such aid was central to the policy platforms of all three candidates as part of their opposition to Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.
“I don’t know if this president can be trusted to make moral and consistent decisions about the military budget, so we’ll have to wait and see,” Valdez told Al Jazeera outside a polling station in his district late Tuesday afternoon.
Valdez will head to Congress from the state House. Her political career began in the labor movement, pushing for easier union organizing as part of her policy platform.
She defeated Republican community activist Melvin Rivera in a largely lopsided race.
Progressive U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was first elected in 2018, also easily won the House race in the 14th Congressional District.
Other notable winners in the House include New York state Rep. Micah Lasher, who is in his first term in Congress, defeating Republican challenger Caroline Shinkle.
Incumbent Congresswoman Grace Meng of Queens, New York, also won re-election against Republican challenger Joseph Chow. Meng told Al Jazeera that the Democratic Party’s landslide victory in the midterm elections was “not just a promotion, but a mission for us.”
He said the goal of the new Congress would be to push back against President Trump.
“He doesn’t treat Congress like a third independent government agency, he just does what he wants,” Meng told Al Jazeera.
The New York State Democratic Party is also calling for a party-line vote to elect Hakeem Jeffries, a longtime representative from New York’s 8th Congressional District, as Speaker of the House.
Jeffries currently serves as the Democratic House Minority Leader.
If elected Speaker by his colleagues, he will become the first black Speaker in the history of the House.
“We’re going to get back on track, and my good friend Congressman Hakeem Jeffries will be wielding the speaker’s gavel,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said after her reelection Tuesday.
Hochul re-elected
New York state elected a total of 26 members to the House of Representatives in this year’s midterm elections.
But important state and local positions were also on the ballot.
For example, in the gubernatorial race, incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul secured reelection in Albany. She won the race against Republican Bruce Blakeman, a Nassau County attorney and executive who ran on a platform of tax cuts and immigration reform.
Tuesday’s results make Hochul and Adrian Adams the first all-female candidates to run for governor and lieutenant governor in Empire State history.
Mr. Hochul has been in the position since 2021. Mr. Adams previously served on the New York City Council.
In his victory speech, Mr. Hochul took aim at Mr. Trump, who has campaigned extensively for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.
“Just a few weeks ago, Donald Trump came to New York and told voters to pretend he was on the ballot,” Hochul said. “Well, Mr. President, your wish has been granted.”
Hochul’s new term officially begins on January 1st. The new parliamentary leadership is scheduled to take office on January 3, 2027.
