New York State Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs has acknowledged that voter sentiment regarding the Israel-Palestinian conflict significantly influenced recent Democratic primary outcomes in New York City. The sentiment appears to have propelled socialist-backed candidates to victories over more established Democratic incumbents who had expressed support for Israel.
Jacobs stated that voters' feelings about Israel were a factor in three House primary wins for candidates allied with Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Among those who benefited were Darializa Avila Chevalier and former city Comptroller Brad Lander, who defeated incumbents Reps. Adriano Espaillat and Dan Goldman, respectively. Both Espaillat and Goldman had publicly supported Israel's actions, a stance that may have motivated younger, liberal voters with pro-Palestinian views.
"I do think the Israel-Palestinian issue had an impact in the election," Jacobs told The Post. "It hurt establishment Democrats." He further noted that the issue was particularly important to the activists who participated in the low-turnout primaries, where approximately 17% of party voters citywide cast ballots.
The Anti-Defamation League, a national civil rights group, criticized the insurgent campaigns, suggesting they rode a wave of what they characterized as antisemitic rhetoric to victory in New York City, a city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. The organization pointed to attendees at a Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) victory party chanting "From the River to the Sea," a slogan they view as a call to eliminate Israel.
"We’re witnessing candidates succeed not in spite of their demonizing rhetoric against the Jewish community and the Jewish state, but because of it," the ADL stated. "When leaders cheer slogans that dehumanize Jews, it does not stay at a victory party. It bleeds into schools, neighborhoods and daily life, putting Jewish families, children and communities at risk."
The Mamdani-backed candidates were part of a broader progressive push within the party, mirroring trends seen in other elections. Political observers have compared the current surge to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 2018 victory and suggest these results could reshape the state Democratic Party and its policy priorities.
Chevalier defeated five-term incumbent Espaillat in the 13th House District, covering parts of Harlem and the Bronx. Her platform included calls to halt U.S. military aid to Israel and push for full divestment from the country. Chevalier had previously attended an anti-Israel rally in Times Square following the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, where demonstrators reportedly torched an Israeli flag and displayed swastikas.
Valdez, a DSA candidate and current state Assembly member, won an open seat in the 7th House District, which spans Brooklyn and Queens, defeating favored candidate Antonio Reynoso. Lander, who is Jewish and a former DSA member, secured a landslide victory over two-term incumbent Goldman in a district covering parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Lander has publicly stated that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
Pollsters have observed a significant shift in the Democratic Party's stance on Israel since the conflict in Gaza escalated. "The voters who turned out were anti-Israel. The people who were fired up were anti-Israel and there was no counter to that," said pollster Bradley Honan of the Honan Strategy Group.
A February Gallup poll indicated a majority of Democrats held unfavorable views of Israel, a first since the poll began tracking the issue in 1989. Only 33% of Democrats surveyed reported a favorable view of Israel, while 60% expressed an unfavorable view.
Jacobs acknowledged that while support for Israel is a divisive issue within the Democratic Party, it has also become more so among Republicans. He suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's conduct during the war has further energized the anti-Israel movement. While Jacobs stated that criticism of Israel's actions is warranted, he also asserted that claims of genocide against Israel are false, characterizing the situation as a war. He also refuted the characterization of Israel as an "apartheid" state, noting that Arab minority residents hold rights similar to other citizens.