Mayor Zohran Mamdani backs progressive challengers against Democratic incumbents as early voting ends Sunday and Election Day approaches Tuesday.
2:21 PM
Early voting in New York City ends Sunday, with Election Day set for Tuesday. Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is not on the ballot, is backing three progressive candidates challenging Democratic incumbents in key congressional races.
In New York's 13th congressional district, Mamdani is supporting Darializa Avila Chevalier, a community organizer, against incumbent Congressman Adriano Espaillat. Chevalier, a former Columbia University student activist, helped organize the school's 2024 anti-Israel encampment and co-founded Columbia University Apartheid Divest.
Chevalier has faced scrutiny over her activism related to Israel and Palestine. She attended a Times Square demonstration against Israel on October 8, 2023, one day after the Hamas-led massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel. When asked about her participation in protests and the use of the word "Zionist" by anti-Israel activists, Chevalier stated that Zionism is "an ideology that is looking to create a political system where one group of people has more standing before the law than another group of people."
A progressive New York City group declined to support Chevalier over her controversial comments regarding Hamas and Israel. The group's representative noted that much of their work involves engaging with community members who hold different views on the issue.
In another race, Mamdani is backing Brad Lander, the former city comptroller, against Representative Dan Goldman. Goldman has faced criticism for failing to endorse Mamdani in both the mayoral primary and general election. A political advertisement running in the district characterizes Goldman's endorsements from Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club, and the teachers' union as evidence of backing from "radical progressives."
Mamdani, a democratic socialist who won much of his district in the 2025 mayoral election, has built significant influence within New York City Democratic politics. His endorsement has become a defining marker of progressive credentials in the city's leftmost congressional districts. Political observers note that if Mamdani's three endorsed candidates win their races, his influence over Democratic politics could expand substantially heading into 2028. Conversely, if all three lose, the mayor could face alienation from traditional Democratic power structures, particularly among Hispanic leaders, while exposing limits to the socialist movement's reach even in progressive areas.
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