Socialism sweeps Empire State as 3 Mamdani-backed candidates prevail in primary races

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Tuesday's primary election in New York was the first test of New York City Zohran Mamdani's political influence, and the result showed the 34-year-old tightening his grip on the Democrat party, which recent polling shows has been making an all-out sprint toward socialism and communism over the last 15 years.

The latest example to underscore a trend that many in America, even some Democrats, find concerning, were the three victories candidates he endorsed in races for U.S. House seats representing the Empire State ran away with on Tuesday evening. The controversial Darializa Avila Chevalier, who drew criticism for her role in anti-Israel riots on the campus of Columbia University, unseated five-term incumbent Adriano Espaillat with her win on Tuesday.

Brad Lander the city's former comptroller who lost to Mamdani in last year's mayoral race, but still enjoyed his endorsement in the primary race for a House seat, ousted far-left Congressman Dan Goldman, and Claire Valdez won the race for an open House seat. All told, Mamdani-backed candidates went three-for-three on Tuesday, further cementing what many see as New York's ongoing decline as the city and state continue what seems to be an inexorable slide toward socialism. 

“It’s not just a question of electing more Democrats. It’s a question of electing better Democrats,” Mamdani said Tuesday in Brooklyn at a rally with Bernie Sanders, according to The Associated Press. Those "better Democrats" include candidates advancing to the November general election who have called for ICE to be abolished, deportations to be stopped, police departments to be defunded, among other hallmarks of the far-left agenda. They have also expressed support for the terrorist group Hamas.

Chevalier is the most extreme of the Mamdani three. Illustrating just how far left she is, Chevalier has called former President Joe Biden "war criminal" and has said the United States is an "effing disgrace." That strain of anti-Americanism is apparent in all of the Mamdani-backed candidates who won on Tuesday to varying degrees. 

President Trump noticed the results and weighed in with a warning on Truth Social. “Many Communists running in badly failing Blue States. The votes seem to have them doing quite well against each other. The bad news is that history has conclusively shown that the downtrodden States that they will soon be running will ONLY GET WORSE.” In a separate post, Trump vowed, "America the Beautiful will NEVER be a Communist Country!!!"

Trump's remarks on the results contrasted with what Mamdani said Tuesday as he tried to push his preferred candidates over the finish line, all but setting up an existential battle for the soul of American politics. 

People often ask me what I think of the state of the Democratic Party. This slate here today is our answer,” Mamdani told supporters. “The Democratic Party must change.” Below, watch reaction to Tuesday's election results.