TLDR:
- Democratic incumbents in New York’s Congressional Progressive Caucus face primary challenges from socialists calling them corporate sellouts
- Rep. Dan Goldman, with a 93% progressive rating, is being challenged by candidates backed by NYC’s new socialist mayor and Bernie Sanders
- Challengers accuse sitting progressives of taking money from corporations and real estate developers while constituents struggle
- Critics say Democrats are fighting each other over ideological purity instead of focusing on opposing Trump
New York’s progressive Democrats are discovering they’re not progressive enough.
A wave of socialist-backed challengers is mounting primary fights against sitting Democratic House members who already belong to the Congressional Progressive Caucus, creating an ideological civil war within the party.
Rep. Dan Goldman typifies the paradox. Despite a 93% progressive rating, he faces challenges from former city comptroller Brad Lander, who has endorsements from both Sen. Bernard Sanders and New York’s new socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
“We’re facing a five-alarm fire for our democracy, and we need leaders who will fight, not fold,” Mr. Lander declared.
Mr. Goldman told Bloomberg he “can’t quite figure out what the rationale is for why he feels like he should replace me.”
Similar battles rage across New York City districts. Rep. Grace Meng faces accusations of being a corporate shill. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, is under fire from Democratic Socialists of America-backed challenger Darializa Avila Chevalier.
“Why should we let Adriano Espaillat vote to spend billions on bombs overseas when we’re struggling to afford rent and groceries?” Ms. Avila Chevalier said, while simultaneously declaring the need to “stand up to Trump’s fascism.”
Read more:
• House Democrats in New York suffer ’Mamdani effect’ with new wave of far-left primary challenger
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