House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) indicated that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has “work to do” to repair relationships with congressional Democrats following primary election results where Mamdani-backed candidates unseated two incumbent House members. Jeffries acknowledged that while he and Mamdani agreed to “strongly disagree” on their endorsements, he anticipates their working relationship will continue.
Darializa Avila Chevalier, a former organizer for Mamdani, defeated five-term Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) in the 13th Congressional District. Simultaneously, former city Comptroller Brad Lander, also endorsed by Mamdani, unseated two-term Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) in the 10th Congressional District. Jeffries had publicly endorsed Espaillat and Goldman.
Despite the losses of his endorsed candidates, a Jeffries insider suggested the outcomes were not a dramatic shift for the Democratic party, noting that other Jeffries-aligned members, such as Reps. Grace Meng and Ritchie Torres, won their primaries. The insider suggested these specific races would not alter the overall Democratic majority in the House.
In a separate primary for an open seat in Brooklyn and Queens, State Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, an ally of Mamdani, secured a victory. Although Jeffries did not endorse in this race, supporters of Valdez reportedly booed and chanted at his image displayed on screens during a primary night watch party.
Mamdani had previously intervened to help prevent a primary challenge against Jeffries himself. At that time, the mayor argued that challenging the House Minority Leader would detract from the Democratic Socialists of America's focus on an "affordability agenda."
When questioned about the possibility of facing a similar challenge in the future, Jeffries deflected, but one Democratic operative commented that Jeffries, 55, is less vulnerable than 75-year-old Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, also up for re-election in 2028, due to age.
Outside of New York City, more moderate Democratic candidates experienced less competitive primary victories. However, some Democratic strategists expressed concern that the party's shift towards more progressive candidates in deeply blue urban areas, championed by figures like Mamdani, could alienate the broader electorate and potentially lead to Republican gains in general elections, reminiscent of past electoral trends in New York.