New York’s Democratic establishment was dealt a sharp blow last night as a slate of left-wing candidates, endorsed by academic and activist Mahmood Mamdani, swept key primary races across the state. The results signal a clear leftward shift in the party’s machine, rattling moderates and reigniting debates over the direction of the party. For working class New Yorkers, the outcome promises a renewed focus on housing, healthcare, and labour rights.
In Queens, progressive challenger Ana Maria Archila unseated incumbent state senator Michael Gianaris, a 10-year veteran known for his centrist positions. Archila, a Colombian-born activist, campaigned on a platform of rent control expansion and a $20 minimum wage. Her victory speech, delivered at a packed union hall in Jackson Heights, drew cheers as she declared: “We have sent a message that the days of corporate Democrats are over. This is a victory for the working class, for immigrants, for everyone who has been told to wait their turn.”
Further north, in Buffalo, India Walton, the democratic socialist who stunned the city with her mayoral win last year, saw her allies dominate county legislature races. Walton’s coalition, backed by the Working Families Party, swept four out of five seats, promising to take on the state’s powerful charter school lobby and push for universal childcare. “The old guard is crumbling,” Walton told supporters. “We are building a real economy that works for all of us, not just the wealthy.”
Mamdani, the Ugandan-born Columbia University professor who has become a lightning rod for criticism from centrists and conservatives, endorsed the candidates through his newly formed “People’s Slate” PAC. In a statement, Mamdani said the primary results show that “ordinary people are fed up with austerity and inequality. They want a politics that places human need above corporate profit.”
Critics warn that the leftward tilt could alienate swing voters in general elections. Republican strategist Susan Del Percio called the sweep “a gift for the GOP” in key swing districts. “These candidates are out of step with the average New Yorker who worries about crime and the cost of living, not ideological purity tests,” she said.
But for many voters, the primaries were a clear message. At a polling station in the Bronx, 62-year-old retired schoolteacher Carmen Lopez said she backed the Mamdani slate because “they are the only ones talking about my rent, my pension, and my grandkids’ future. The others just take money from landlords and call it a day.”
The results also exposed deep divisions within the state’s Democratic Party. Governor Kathy Hochul, who has positioned herself as a pragmatic centrist, remained silent on the outcomes. Her allies, however, expressed concern that the leftward momentum could complicate her re-election bid in 2026.
For labour unions, the results were a mixed bag. Building trades unions, which had backed more moderate candidates, saw their preferred contenders lose. But service sector unions, such as SEIU 1199 and the hotel workers, celebrated wins for candidates who pledged to crack down on gig economy exploitation. “The real economy is about wages you can live on, not stock buybacks,” said SEIU spokesperson Marco Davis. “These candidates get that.”
The sweep also highlighted the growing influence of racial justice and immigrant rights movements. Many of the winning candidates are people of colour, and their campaigns focused on police reform, sanctuary city policies, and language access in city services.
As the night wore on, jubilant supporters marched through the streets of Brooklyn chanting “The people united will never be defeated.” The scene was a stark contrast to the hushed corridors of power in Albany, where establishment figures began to grapple with a new political reality.
What comes next is uncertain. The general elections in November will test whether the left’s message resonates beyond the primary base. But for now, New York’s Democratic machine has lurched left, and the reverberations will be felt from City Hall to the statehouse.
