Are we finished? Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and other Democratic leaders aren’t going to say that, but they should. This isn’t just an isolated case anymore. It’s not a New York political anomaly. In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed, who aligns closely with the Chavista slate that won their primaries in the Empire State last night, is likely to be the candidate for the US Senate.
Rep. Tom Souzzi (D-NY) had a great line to describe last night, which is essentially that the establishment is whining about left-wing insurgents at their bougie cocktail events, but they are energized and on the move (via Axios) [emphasis mine]:
Darializa Chevalier lost the Bronx part of the district by 30 points. She also lost predominantly Black and Hispanic areas, and she lost lower income areas by 10 points. She won with young voters and higher income voters, and won majority college educated areas by 20 points. https://t.co/brFok94vge pic.twitter.com/2O0Zks9O3h
— Batya Ungar-Sargon (@bungarsargon) June 24, 2026
The DSA: We’re rich, we’re white, and we know what’s best for you! pic.twitter.com/0Xn7K1zduv
— usurp tha chef (@usurpthachef) June 24, 2026
The New York primary results are poised to double the bloc of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) 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.
Driving the news: Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) lost re-election in a landslide to progressive former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who led by more than 30 percentage points as of late Tuesday night.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), the Hispanic Caucus chair, lost his primary more narrowly to democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier, according to the Associated Press.
In the race to succeed retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), democratic socialist state Assembly member Claire Valdez won a comfortable double-digit victory over Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
It’s a good line, though I think the best came from CNN’s Van Jones last night, who said, “the roof is collapsing on the Democratic Party establishment.”
"This is a battle between the establishment and this insurgency. And the roof is collapsing on the Democratic party establishment tonight," @VanJones68 says. pic.twitter.com/YJxeI36ul3
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) June 24, 2026
The brand is toxic for many reasons, but that’s not our concern. Please, socialists, keep doing your thing. Challenge everything within the Democratic Party. Do it for the proletariat—double-plus good, as they would say in Oceania.
The three DSA candidates who won yesterday, weren’t born in NYC, weren’t raised in NYC, and never created a job outside a campaign staff in NYC.
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) June 24, 2026
That sums up the DSA https://t.co/Yo47jCFbaT
