Putting NYC's Socialist Win in Perspective

It's Not the Socialists Who'll Flip the House in November

My family is a big hockey family. So I love a good hat-trick as much as the next guy. But I caution against irrational exuberance over Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s impressive sweep last night in the New York City congressional primaries which saw stunning upset victories from the candidates he threw his political muscle and capital behind.

So let’s meet the victors, all Democratic socialists: organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier, who narrowly defeated 5-term incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the 13th district, the biggest upset since Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated Joseph Crowley in 2018; former Comptroller Brad Lander, who decisively beat incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman 66-34 in the 10th; and state Rep. Claire Valdez, who ran for the retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez’s seat in the 7th. Velazquez had endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.

But let’s be crystal clear about something: these victories came in safe blue districts. So if Democrats are to flip the House in November, these districts will not be the cause.

Instead, it’ll be the critical victories by moderate democrats like those we witnessed across the country last night: former Congressman Ben McAdams in UT-1, Nancy Lacore, the former Navy Admiral fired by Sec Def Pete Hegseth, in SC-1, and former combat veteran and national security official Cait Conley in NY-17.

Let’s also not forget the victories last fall by Mikey Sherrill in New Jersey ‘s gubernatorial election, Abigail Spanberger in Virginia’s, and the other moderates who continue to win across the country in red and swing districts.

Because not only are moderates like McAdams, Lacore and Conley the potential difference between a Republican and Democratic-controlled Congress, but their notable wins provide an essential counter-narrative to the one being shaped right now by the media and the GOP that the Democratic Party has become ‘the party of socialism and anti-capitalism’. Which is far from the truth.

The intra-party feud that played out in this election in NYC is certainly something to take note of. And it shouldn’t be minimized or dismissed on any level. Much of Mamdani’s sweep last night can be attributed to the passionate split in the Jewish community and among other voters over support for Israel and AIPAC funding. And affordability remains a top issue.

This dynamic is real and, at least in reliable blue states and cities, is gaining appreciable momentum. But it’d be a fool’s errand to draw conclusions that NYC’s success is part of a nationwide socialist-wave phenomenon.

For the record, I love a good, healthy political debate. I love seeing energized Democrats, whether they are progressive or moderate. I love seeing young people engaged in the electoral system. I love seeing my party fired up and fighting Trump and his complicit Republican Congress. And I love that the party’s big tent is experiencing record turnout.

But it will be a huge mistake to feed into the Republican narrative of, ‘See America? This is what you’ll be voting for in November: radical capitalism-hating left-wing fringe socialist communist lunatics who want to destroy America!’

When you consider how many veterans and former military and intelligence officials who have already won and won last night, the argument could easily be made that there’s at least an equal swing by the Democratic party towards the middle or even right of center.