Mamdani tsunami can flood New York, Hochul says

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In today’s CapCon:

As you likely know by now, it was an incredibly successful primary night Tuesday for democratic socialists and a tough night for the incumbents and Democrats they challenged.

In case you missed it, I compiled a rundown of results in the most competitive races in the state Senate, Assembly and Congress last night. Here’s a link to that full list:

There are a handful of races that haven’t been called, including one that could make history in the New York Legislature.

The race for the Manhattan seat held by outgoing Assemblywoman Deborah Glick is still too close to call, with Jeannine Kiely and David Siffert neck and neck, according to the latest results.

Kiely currently has the edge but if Siffert comes out on top, they would be the first nonbinary person elected to the state Legislature. The final tally may not be known for weeks.

“I was honored to run in a race where I legitimately like and respect all of my opponents, with whom I am excited to work with to serve our community regardless of the result of this election,” Siffert said. “I am especially honored to be in a nail-biter with Jeannine Kiely, someone I have known, liked, and respected for many years.”

I’ll let you know who wins that election when we know.

But the real winner of last night’s elections was arguably New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Mamdani endorsed three candidates for Congress and five candidates in the state Legislature. All of them won their respective races, most by healthy margins.

“What their success represents is a shift in the balance of power between working people and special interests,” Mamdani said when asked about those wins Wednesday.

“And, finally, working people are going to have more of a voice in the halls of power, wherever that hall may be, be it Albany or be it in D.C.,” he said.

Not all of Mamdani’s endorsed candidates identify as democratic socialists. Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, for example, defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman Tuesday night without that label.

Mamdani’s non-socialist candidates also included Eli Northrup, who won the primary to succeed Assemblyman Micah Lasher, and Brian Romero, who won the primary to succeed Assemblywoman Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas.

The winning democratic socialists backed by Mamdani in races for Congress included Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, who defeated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in NY-7 and District Darializa Avila Chevalier, who toppled U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat in NY-13.

Mamdani’s winning democratic socialist slate in races for the state Legislature included Samantha Kattan, who won the primary to succeed Valdez, Illapa Sairitupac, who won the primary to succeed Assemblywoman Grace Lee, and Aber Kawas, who won the primary to succeed state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris.

But democratic socialists who weren’t explicitly endorsed by Mamdani also prevailed in their races, like Christian Celeste Tate’s defeat of six-term Assemblyman Erik Dilan in Brooklyn.

David Orkin, a democratic socialist, defeated incumbent Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar and Eon Huntley, also a democratic socialist, defeated incumbent Assemblywoman Stefani Zinerman.

That trend also extended beyond New York City. Adam Bojak, a democratic socialist, won the primary to succeed Assemblyman Jonathan Rivera, who won his own primary for state Senate.

And in Syracuse, the race is still too close to call between incumbent Assemblyman William Magnarelli and Maurice “Mo” Brown, a democratic socialist.

Even if Brown ends up losing that race, the number of democratic socialists in the state Legislature will be set to double in January with the wins recorded Tuesday night. The incumbent democratic socialists were all either unopposed or won their primaries.

For more on those wins, read this story I published today on the Times Union’s website. (Free link)

But Mamdani’s wins Tuesday night also translate to a loss for Democrats considered to be part of the party’s establishment wing, including Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Hochul had endorsed Goldman and Espaillat but couldn’t save them from defeat. In Buffalo, incumbent state Sen. Jeremy Zellner was endorsed by Hochul but ended up losing his primary to Rivera.

She did have at least one high-profile win: Assemblyman Micah Lasher won the primary to succeed U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler. Hochul had endorsed Lasher, who is her former head of policy in the governor’s office.

When asked Wednesday about the socialist sweep in the races for Congress and state Legislature, Hochul said she is optimistic about how those results could drive momentum for Democrats this year but brushed off that they weren’t her favored candidates.