‘Holy Sh*t’: Moderate Dems Reportedly Stunned After Mamdani-Backed Progressives Pull Off Upsets in NYC Primaries

Ahmad Austin Jr.Jun 24th, 2026, 10:36 am
 
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani celebrates with Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier during an election night watch party Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Seth Wenig/AP

Moderate Democrats have reportedly been left scrambling following a trio of progressive wins in New York City primaries on Tuesday.

Candidates Claire Valdez, Brad Lander, and Darializa Avila Chevalier won their primaries in the 7th, 10th, and 13th Congressional Districts, respectively. All three were endorsed by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) and the Democratic Socialists of America. Their opponents in the primaries were backed by the likes of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D).

With Mamdani going a perfect 3 for 3 with his endorsements, Tuesday night’s wins have been viewed as the dawn of a new era for the Democratic Party. Some believe the party will move further to the left, as the candidates ran on policies to cut aid to Israel and abolish ICE.

In a Tuesday night report from Axios, moderate Dems referred to the primary results as an “earthquake” for the party. The report read:

Why it matters: The New York primary results are poised to double the number of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) members in Congress, something that is not sitting well with some moderates.

  • “People who do not support the DSA wring their hands at cocktail parties, while the DSA is organizing,” Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), the co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, told Axios.
  • Another centrist House Democrat, speaking on the condition of anonymity to offer candid analysis, called the results an “earthquake” and a “huge defeat” for Democratic leadership.
  • “It was a tough night,” said Rep. Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.), a close ally of leadership and the chair of the Queens County Democratic Party, told Axios.

That same centrist Dem warned that 2027 would be “headache” for party leadership, while another “senior House Democrat” simply told Axios, “Holy sh*t.”

That outlook is not shared by the entire party, however. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) declared that “progressives beat the establishment in the heart of NYC” and that the “energy of the party” was with the coalition led by Mamdani.

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