Mayor Zohran Mamdani is fighting to expand democratic socialists’ ranks in Congress. Two influential congressmen are suddenly on the ropes. And then there’s the Kennedy scion hoping to revive Camelot.
New York, never a stranger to political drama, is back in the spotlight this month, as candidates, billionaires and ideological factions wage primary fights over a half-dozen coveted House seats.
A series of contests involving deep blue New York City turf, which will culminate on Primary Day on June 23, are especially important for Democrats. At a time when the progressive and establishment wings of the party are locked in a coast-to-coast struggle over its direction in the Trump era, each side needs to notch wins.
Both parties are closely monitoring a Democratic primary in the city’s northern suburbs, where three women are leading a crowded field competing to take on one of Republicans’ most vulnerable incumbents in November. And further north, the G.O.P. has its own primary fight that has gotten so toxic that one of the candidates is facing a defamation suit from a party leader.
Here are the most important races to watch.
New York’s 12th District
Camelot on Central Park?
The district:
Running the width of Manhattan, and stretching from around 14th Street to the top of Central Park, the 12th District is home to the Empire State Building, Broadway, and the Upper West and East Sides. No district nationally is more educated or home to more Jewish voters; few are wealthier. Safely Democratic, the district tends to be more liberal than leftist.
Current representative:
Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat who is retiring after more than three decades in Congress.
Who’s running:
A crush of candidates initially entered the race, but what polling exists suggests there are four serious contenders. Two members of the State Assembly generally lead the pack despite anti-establishment headwinds.
One of them, Micah Lasher, who represents a West Side district, has spent years advising top Democratic officials in the state and has presented himself as a policy wonk in the mold of Mr. Nadler, who endorsed him. He has also benefited from $5 million in support from former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.
The other, Alex Bores, an East Side assemblyman, began his career at the data analytics firm Palantir and has centered his campaign on regulating A.I. His focus has fueled millions of dollars in super PAC spending from industry players working both in support of and against him.
Then there is the star power. Jack Schlossberg, the grandson of John F. Kennedy, has attracted by far the most attention by leveraging his family’s fame, his good looks and a provocative social media presence. But his erratic behavior and staff turnover have weighed on his campaign.
George T. Conway III, the ex-husband of President Trump’s 2016 campaign manager and a cable news fixture, switched parties for a chance to run. He has an unapologetically narrow focus — stopping Mr. Trump — but he would have to overcome his history as a Republican to get elected in this district.
Other candidates like Nina Schwalbe, a public health leader and global vaccine expert, have struggled to get the same level of attention on their campaigns.
Why it matters:
The candidates have relatively few ideological differences. But New York 12 is home to national media empires and many of Democrats’ biggest donors, and whoever wins will immediately inherit a far bigger megaphone than most other members of Congress given the district’s high profile.
New York’s 10th District
Support for Israel threatens an incumbent’s chances
The district:
Encompassing Lower Manhattan and a swath of Brooklyn, the 10th District includes wealthy New Yorkers who live in Tribeca penthouses and Brooklyn brownstones, the poorer residents of large public housing developments, immigrant enclaves in Manhattan’s Chinatown and Brooklyn’s Sunset Park, and a large ultra-Orthodox Jewish population. The area has a history of progressive politics.
Current representative:
Daniel Goldman, a two-term Democrat and former federal prosecutor.
Who’s running:
Mr. Goldman, who has racked up a liberal voting record and helped lead Mr. Trump’s first impeachment inquiry, would under other circumstances have little trouble getting re-elected. But as his party and the district have turned against Israel amid its war in Gaza, Mr. Goldman’s long-term commitment to that nation and ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobby, have left him vulnerable.
He is facing Brad Lander, a former city comptroller and mayoral candidate, who is running to his left on Israel. Polls suggest Mr. Lander has opened a wide lead despite Mr. Goldman spending more than $1 million of his personal fortune. Mr. Lander is also benefiting from his deep ties to the district and support from Mr. Mamdani, who is widely popular there.
Why it matters:
The war and the United States’ relationship with Israel has roiled Democratic politics for years now. This race will test how potent it remains as an electoral issue amid a lengthy cease-fire.
New York’s 7th District
A battle to define the left
The district:
Known by some as the “Commie Corridor,” the 7th District is a swath of Brooklyn and Queens that is home to some of the youngest and most progressive voters in the country. Neighborhoods like Williamsburg, Long Island City and Bushwick have undergone rapid gentrification, but sizable populations of Puerto Ricans and other Latinos remain.
Current representative:
Nydia Velázquez, a Puerto Rican trailblazer and Democrat who is retiring after three decades.
Who is running:
Antonio Reynoso, the Brooklyn borough president, would normally be the favorite. He grew up in the district, has a long progressive legislative record and has the backing of Ms. Velázquez. His top opponent, Claire Valdez, is a first-term state lawmaker.
But at a moment when Mr. Mamdani and the socialist movement are flexing their organizational muscle, both sides agree Ms. Valdez has the advantage. A member of the Democratic Socialists of America, she argues Mr. Reynoso has not been bold enough in office. More important, Mr. Mamdani, who is overwhelmingly popular in the district, has endorsed her, helped her raise money, offered strategic advice and appeared on the campaign trail on her behalf.
Julie Won, a city councilwoman from Queens, is running on a “lifetime of care” platform that calls for universal government-funded child care and death benefits. But so far, she is trailing in polls.
Why it matters:
The primary is a major test of whether Mr. Mamdani can translate his own political success into more seats for socialists. It is also a rare race pitting the D.S.A. against the left-leaning Working Families Party, which is supporting Mr. Reynoso.
New York’s 13th District
A democratic socialist taking on a Latino chairman
The district:
Covering Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx, the 13th District is home to a large working-class Latino population, a sizable Black community rooted in Harlem and a growing number of white voters, some of them clustered around Columbia University.
Current representative:
Adriano Espaillat, a five-term Democrat who is the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Who is running:
Mr. Espaillat has spent many years building a political network, known as “the Squadriano,” to harness Latino political power. That network helped make him the first Dominican American and first formerly undocumented immigrant to serve in Congress.
But his old-school machine style politics and willingness to accept donations from AIPAC affiliates have opened him to attacks. His primary opponent, Darializa Avila Chevalier, helped lead protests against the war in Gaza at Columbia University and has made his foreign policy stances into a campaign issue.
Ms. Avila Chevalier, who has the support of the D.S.A. and Justice Democrats, got a major shot of momentum last week when Mr. Mamdani abandoned his earlier plans to support Mr. Espaillat and endorsed her campaign instead.
Why it matters:
Mr. Espaillat has generally been considered more likely to be re-elected than Mr. Goldman, so the outcome of the race will measure how high anti-incumbent sentiments are running among Democrats. The mayor has also put considerable political capital on the line.
New York’s 17th District
A primary with implications for the House majority
The district:
North of New York City, the 17th District includes wealthy liberal suburbs in Westchester County, Hudson Valley river towns and a growing Orthodox Jewish population in Rockland County. Kamala Harris narrowly won it in the 2024 presidential race.
Current representative:
Mike Lawler, a two-term Republican and former political operative.
Who is running:
Mr. Lawler has eluded Democrats for two election cycles, building a reputation as a common-sense Republican willing to buck his party. But with voters in his district bridling at Mr. Trump, he is facing a far more difficult environment than in previous races.
Two relatively moderate candidates have led the large field of Democrats seeking to take him on: Cait Conley, an Army veteran and cybersecurity expert, and Beth Davidson, a local county legislator. Effie Phillips-Staley, a nonprofit executive and local official, has staked out a more progressive platform.
Why it matters:
Democrats have multiple paths to win back the House majority, but almost all of them require beating Mr. Lawler.
New York’s 21st District
The North Country brawl roiling Republicans
The district:
One of the largest House districts east of the Mississippi River, the 21st District runs north from Albany to the Canadian border. Once swing territory, Mr. Trump won the district by 24 points in 2024.
Current representative:
Elise Stefanik, a Republican who abruptly announced her retirement last year after losing out on a U.N. ambassadorship.
Who is running:
Anthony Constantino, a pugnacious sticker tycoon, first got Mr. Trump’s attention when he erected a 100-foot wide “VOTE FOR TRUMP” sign atop his company’s headquarters.
Now, the president’s endorsement has made Mr. Constantino the favorite in a Republican primary against Assemblyman Robert Smullen, a strait-laced former Marine favored by state party leaders.
Why it matters:
Given the district’s rightward tilt, the seat should be safely Republican. But some state party leaders are worried that if Mr. Constantino wins, he could put the race in play for Democrats because he is so polarizing. Just one example: Mr. Constantino is being sued for defamation after he claimed the state’s Conservative Party chairman tried to kill him.
Nicholas Fandos is a Times reporter covering New York politics and government.
The post These Are the House Districts to Watch in New York This Primary Season appeared first on New York Times.
