New York voters are heading to the polls Tuesday for a series of Democratic and Republican primaries that will reshape power dynamics within both parties and determine which candidates face off in some of the nation's most competitive fall races.
The day after the Knicks parade, New Yorkers are trading basketball for ballots in contests that pit progressives against establishment Democrats, test the influence of major figures like Zohran Mamdani, and feature millions in outside spending from Silicon Valley titans, pro-Israel groups, and crypto interests.
In New York's 12th District, the battle between competing visions for artificial intelligence regulation has drawn at least $10 million in outside spending. Leading the Future, a super PAC funded by OpenAI executives and venture capital firms opposed to state-level AI regulations, is targeting Democratic state legislator Alex Bores, who has championed regulatory oversight. Jobs and Democracy PAC, backed by Anthropic, a competitor company with a stronger focus on AI safety concerns, is defending him.
The race also includes Micah Lasher, another state legislator and former aide to Gov. Kathy Hochul and retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler, who secured Nadler's endorsement and support from a Bloomberg-funded group. Jack Schlossberg, the Kennedy family scion, is running as well with backing from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, alongside George Conway, the prominent Trump critic.
Across the state line in Maryland, the race to replace retiring Rep. Steny Hoyer has drawn massive pro-Israel and pro-crypto spending into state delegate Adrian Boafo's campaign. He is Hoyer's chosen successor. Former U.S. Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, who responded to the January 6 riot, has raised more money from individuals than his rivals and carries Pelosi's endorsement. Home healthcare CEO Quincy Bareebe, who loaned her campaign over $5 million, is also in the running.
Mamdani, the New York City councilmember who has emerged as a leading progressive voice, is testing his political reach in three major races across the city. In the 10th District, he is backing former City Comptroller Brad Lander against incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman, who has drawn endorsements from Gov. Hochul and House Democratic leadership. Lander has secured backing from Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and has aggressively criticized Israel's military conduct in Gaza, calling it genocide and supporting legislation to block certain arms sales.
Goldman, who gained prominence as the lead House Democratic counsel during Trump's first impeachment, has received endorsements from both AIPAC and J Street, a more liberal pro-Israel organization. He argues he holds a progressive position on Middle East policy.
In the 13th District, Mamdani switched his support to democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier against incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat, a move that rankled some party insiders after Mamdani had previously backed Espaillat. Espaillat, an immigration rights champion with support from Gov. Hochul, state Attorney General Letitia James, City Council Speaker Julie Menin, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the AFL-CIO, has pushed back against framing the race as establishment versus progressive.
Avila Chevalier, a community organizer, is campaigning on ICE abolition, support for Medicare for All, national tenant protections, and harsh criticism of Israel's Gaza operations. She has aligned with progressive groups like Justice Democrats.
In the open 7th District race vacated by retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Mamdani is backing state Assemblymember Claire Valdez, a democratic socialist pushing for dramatic union expansion, a public housing option, and Medicare for All. Velázquez herself is endorsing Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, a progressive focused on policing reform and environmental issues.
On the Republican side, Trump has hedged his bets in South Carolina's gubernatorial runoff by endorsing both Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson after initially backing only Evette in the June primary. Evette finished first with 29% but needs to win the runoff as lower-finishing candidates have shifted support to Wilson.
In upstate New York's 21st District, Trump is backing businessman Anthony Constantino, who gained conservative attention for erecting a massive Trump sign on a building in 2024, against state Assemblyman Robert Smullen, a combat veteran. Democrats face long odds in this race after Trump carried the seat by 21 points in 2024.
Trump is also supporting three incumbent Utah Republicans: Blake Moore, Celeste Maloy, and Mike Kennedy, two of whom face primary challenges.
In Maryland's 6th District, wealthy Rep. April McClain Delaney faces a primary challenge from former Rep. David Trone, who left Congress for an unsuccessful Senate bid. Trone has lent his campaign $25 million while Delaney has contributed roughly $10 million. Trone is attacking Delaney on immigration, while Delaney is leaning on endorsements from Gov. Wes Moore and the state's two senators.
A court-ordered redistricting in Utah has created the first Democratic opportunity in years for the state's 3rd Congressional District. Former Rep. Ben McAdams, the top fundraiser, is competing against state Sen. Nate Blouin, who has backing from Bernie Sanders but has been damaged by revelations of past demeaning internet posts.
In Baltimore, Maryland state Senate President Bill Ferguson faces his first serious primary challenger in 12 years. Army veteran Bobby LaPin is running to his left after Ferguson refused to support a partisan redistricting push that gained national attention. Gov. Moore, who has clashed with Ferguson on redistricting, conspicuously withheld his endorsement when announcing local support last month.
New York's 17th District looms as the major battleground of the day. Democratic primary contenders Beth Davidson and Cait Conley are competing to face Republican Mike Lawler in a district Vice President Kamala Harris carried in 2024. Davidson, a Rockland County legislator, has emphasized her Jewish identity and support for Israel while opposing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's actions. Conley, an Army veteran and former National Security Council official, has received advertising support from VoteVets but faces attacks over past defense contractor work.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "The billions flooding these primaries reveal where the real power and money are in Democratic politics right now, and Tuesday will show whether establishment dominance or progressive momentum wins the day."
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