On June 23, 2026, the Democratic primaries concluded in New York, and their outcome proved more significant than the usual intra-party struggle.
This is no longer just a story about local districts, New York activists, and the fight for seats in the U.S. Congress.
For Israel, these elections signaled how quickly attitudes toward the Jewish state are changing within the American Democratic Party — especially in its urban, young, and left-wing factions.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, one of the most prominent representatives of the progressive camp, supported three candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives: Darializa Avila Chevalier, Brad Lander, and Claire Valdez.
All three won.
According to the Associated Press, Mamdani’s list effectively achieved a “clean sweep” in the New York primaries: his candidates won their races and ousted two incumbent congressmen.
For American politics, this means strengthening the left wing of the Democrats.
For Israel, it means the emergence of a new generation of politicians who increasingly view U.S.-Israel relations through the lens of pressure, sanctions, aid reduction, and accusations against Jerusalem.
Mamdani’s three victories: who won and why it matters
The most notable victory was the race in New York’s 13th district, NY-13.
There, Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated incumbent Congressman Adriano Espaillat — an influential Democrat who held strong positions in the party structure and chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
NY-13 covers Harlem, Upper Manhattan, and part of the Bronx. It is a district with a large Latino, African American, and immigrant audience. Avila Chevalier’s victory was not just a personal success for the candidate but a blow to the old Democratic establishment of New York.
The second key result was Brad Lander’s victory in New York’s 10th district, NY-10.
Lander defeated incumbent Congressman Dan Goldman, who was considered one of the prominent pro-Israel Democrats. Goldman represented Lower Manhattan and part of Brooklyn — areas where the issue of Israel, Jewish security, and anti-Semitism has not symbolic but direct political significance.
The third victory was Claire Valdez in New York’s 7th district, NY-7, which includes parts of Queens and Brooklyn. She defeated Antonio Reynoso, the Brooklyn Borough President, and became another example of how candidates connected to left-wing activist networks are surpassing more traditional representatives of the party system.
The Guardian also notes: all three candidates supported by Mamdani won, strengthening his status as one of the leading figures of the left wing of the Democrats in New York.
Israel became one of the lines of division
At first glance, these were local primaries.
But in reality, the issue of Israel ran through these races as one of the main lines of conflict.
Zohran Mamdani has long been known for his harsh criticism of Israel and the pro-Israel lobby in the U.S. In June 2026, he publicly defended his statement in which he called AIPAC “monsters.” Al Jazeera reported that Mamdani explained this wording as criticism of AIPAC’s role in American politics and in supporting Israel.
AIPAC — American Israel Public Affairs Committee — has been one of the key organizations influencing support for Israel in Washington for decades.
When the mayor of the largest city in the U.S. uses such rhetoric against AIPAC, it is no longer a marginal campus dispute.
It is part of a major political shift.
The case of Darializa Avila Chevalier is particularly indicative.
City & State NY wrote that she participated in a pro-Palestinian rally on October 8, 2023 — the day after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. This was a date when Israel was still burying the dead, searching for the kidnapped, and trying to understand the scale of the massacre.
Times of Israel also reported that Avila Chevalier later defended her participation in this rally, explaining it as her long-standing support for Palestinian rights.
For the Israeli audience, the timing is important, not just the fact of the rally.
October 8, 2023, was not yet a time of a long war in Gaza, international campaigns, student camps, and months-long political mobilization against Israel.
It was the day after the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.
And the candidate who later won the primaries in New York was part of a political wave supported by the city’s mayor.
NAnews — Israel News notes: such details show that this is not just about “criticism of Netanyahu’s government” or a debate about humanitarian policy. In part of the American left camp, the framework of the conversation about Israel, its security, and its right to self-defense is changing.
Brad Lander: a Jewish candidate against aid to Israel
Brad Lander deserves special attention.
He is Jewish, has been a prominent figure in New York’s progressive politics for many years, and previously held the position of New York City Comptroller.
But in the race against Dan Goldman, the issue of Israel became one of the main differences between the candidates.
Forward wrote in April 2026 that Lander opposed further funding for Israel’s Iron Dome — a system that protects Israeli citizens from rocket attacks.
This is a principled point.
The “Iron Dome” is not an offensive weapon.
It is a system that saves lives in Sderot, Ashkelon, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and other cities in Israel.
When an American politician talks about stopping funding for such a system, for Israelis it does not sound like an abstract budget discussion.
It is a question of whether Washington will continue to help Israel protect its citizens from rockets.
Dan Goldman, whom Lander defeated, was considered a more traditional pro-Israel Democrat. Therefore, his defeat in NY-10 became symbolic: even in Jewish New York politics, the line of support for Israel no longer guarantees victory in Democratic primaries.
Where the left wave stopped: NY-12
At the same time, New York showed not only a left turn but also its boundaries.
In the 12th district, NY-12, Micah Lasher — a Jewish centrist and more moderate candidate — won.
This district is particularly important: NY-12 is considered the district with the largest share of Jewish voters among U.S. House districts. Times of Israel called Lasher a Jewish centrist and reported on his victory in the primaries for the seat vacated by Jerry Nadler.
It is here that Mamdani did not bet on his candidate.
This is an important detail.
Where the Jewish community has particularly significant political weight, a moderate and more pro-Israel line was able to hold.
But in other districts — NY-7, NY-10, and NY-13 — candidates associated with the left wave, criticism of Israel, and an anti-establishment agenda won.
Therefore, the conclusion should not be simplified.
It cannot be said that “all New York Democrats have become anti-Israel.”
But it can be said otherwise: in New York, there is already a political model where harsh criticism of Israel does not prevent winning, and in some districts even helps mobilize the active part of the Democratic electorate.
Why this matters for Israel
Israel is used to looking at Washington through the White House, the Senate, the Pentagon, and traditional support groups.
But future U.S. policy is formed not only in the administration’s offices.
It is formed in the primaries.
In the districts.
In urban party organizations.
In the university environment.
In activist networks that first bring candidates to the city council or state assembly, and then to Congress.
Today, these candidates are coming from New York.
In a few years, they may be voting on military aid packages, sanctions resolutions, missile defense funding, investigations against Israel, and pressure on the American administration.
NAnews — Israel News emphasizes: for Jerusalem, this is not a local New York news, but an early indicator of the Democratic Party Israel may have to deal with in the future.
Polls show: it’s not just New York
The political shift is also confirmed by public sentiment.
A Quinnipiac University poll published on June 24, 2026, showed that 48% of registered U.S. voters believe that America “supports Israel too much.” Another 38% consider the level of support appropriate, and only 7% say that the U.S. supports Israel insufficiently. Quinnipiac separately noted that this is the highest percentage of the response “the U.S. supports Israel too much” since 2017, when the university first began asking this question.
For Israel, this is an alarming figure.
Almost half of American voters already perceive American support for Israel as excessive.
This does not mean an automatic break in the alliance.
But it means that any future U.S. administration will take into account the growing pressure within American society.
Especially if this pressure comes from young voters, the left wing of the Democrats, the university environment, and urban districts where primaries often effectively decide the outcome of elections.
Main conclusion
The New York primaries on June 23, 2026, served as a warning.
Zohran Mamdani demonstrated that his political machine is capable of translating a left-wing, anti-establishment, and sharply critical of Israel agenda into real victories.
Darializa Avila Chevalier won in NY-13 after the scandal surrounding her participation in the rally on October 8, 2023.
Brad Lander defeated Dan Goldman in NY-10, despite his position against further funding for the “Iron Dome.”
Claire Valdez won in NY-7 as part of the same progressive wave.
Micah Lasher maintained a more moderate line in NY-12 — but precisely in a district with a particularly strong Jewish electorate.
The picture becomes clear: in the U.S. Democratic Party, the struggle around Israel is no longer a secondary issue.
It is becoming a marker of political identity.
And if Israel wants to understand what Washington might look like in a few years, it needs to pay close attention not only to the White House.
It needs to look at New York.
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