ByJOSEPH STRAUSS/JTA

JUNE 23, 2026 04:49

New York holds its primary elections on Tuesday, featuring multiple contests that draw attention from Jewish American voters.

Within New York City, voters will decide several congressional races, one of which covers the district with the largest Jewish population in the nation, NY-12. In addition, a state Assembly seat on the Upper West Side pits a rabbi against a Jewish attorney.

At the same time, two pro-Israel incumbents face progressive challengers backed by Zohran Mamdani who express strong support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel, offering a fresh gauge of Democratic sentiment on the topic.

Beyond the city limits, Democrats will select a nominee to oppose pro-Israel Republican Representative Mike Lawler in the competitive NY-17 district during the November general election.

NY-12: The standout contest

Representative Jerry Nadler, a longtime progressive and the most senior Jewish member of Congress, declared last autumn that he would step down at the close of his term. This decision opens a seat in one of New York politics' premier districts: NY-12, encompassing the Upper West Side, Upper East Side, and midtown Manhattan. The area ranks as the most Jewish congressional district nationwide and leans heavily Democratic, ensuring the primary winner advances to Congress.

Four candidates with notable polling support remain: Micah Lasher, Alex Bores, Jack Schlossberg, and George Conway.

Lasher and Bores, both serving in the State Assembly, lead the polls and share similar positions, such as backing Israel while opposing Netanyahu and advancing state measures against antisemitism.

Lasher benefits from endorsement by his former employer Nadler along with much of the West Side political network. Bores has assembled support from pro-Israel moderates as well as progressive organizations that question aspects of Israeli policy.

NY-10: Jewish incumbent faces Jewish challenger

Questions arose about former City Comptroller Brad Lander following his reported endorsement of Zohran Mamdani in pursuit of an administration post that ultimately did not materialize.

Lander, previously Mamdani's leading Jewish supporter, now receives the mayor's strong backing in his bid to unseat incumbent Representative Dan Goldman in NY-10, covering Lower Manhattan and brownstone Brooklyn where Lander served three terms on the City Council.

Lander has focused on Goldman's endorsement from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel group now viewed unfavorably by many progressives. Goldman highlights endorsements from both AIPAC and the progressive J Street to demonstrate independent thinking on related matters.

The candidates align on several priorities such as opposing the Trump administration and ICE, yet differ notably regarding Israel.

Goldman has declined calls to condition military aid to Israel, whereas Lander accuses Israel of genocide and rejects assistance for both offensive arms and the Iron Dome system.

A mid-May poll showed Lander leading by 34 percentage points.

NY-13: Path from Columbia protest to Congress?

Darializa Avila Chevalier, a progressive backed by Mamdani and focused on Palestinian issues, challenges incumbent Representative Adriano Espaillat, a moderate pro-Israel lawmaker supported by AIPAC. Discussions of Israel and AIPAC dominate her campaign in upper Manhattan and the Bronx, where she pledges to back the Block the Bombs to Israel Act and end all military aid.

Avila Chevalier joined an anti-Israel demonstration promoted by the Democratic Socialists of America the day after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Other DSA figures including Mamdani later distanced themselves from the event, which prompted some members such as Lander to leave the group.

Espaillat stated during a recent debate that she attended to celebrate the loss of innocent lives in Israel immediately after the attack.

Avila Chevalier responded that she participated on October 8 due to memories of 2014 events and anticipated a strong response leading to many deaths, referencing her prior internship in the West Bank.

One recent poll indicated Espaillat ahead by 8 points, while another funded by Avila Chevalier supporters showed her leading by 4.

NY-7: Valdez, Reynoso, and AIPAC in the progressive district

The primary for NY-7, a strongly progressive area spanning parts of Brooklyn and Queens known as the Commie Corridor, lacks any pro-Israel candidate. Nevertheless, AIPAC remains a frequent topic among three progressives who each charge Israel with genocide.

State Assembly member Claire Valdez, supported by Mamdani and the DSA as the most left-leaning contender, implied that opponent Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso received aid from AIPAC spending. Reports later clarified that AIPAC played no role in the super PAC assisting Reynoso.

Reynoso and City Council member Julie Won, currently in third, have faulted Valdez for accepting outside funds from groups including the pro-Palestinian American Priorities super PAC.

A May poll showed Valdez at 23 percent and Reynoso at 21 percent, with Won at 13 percent and 43 percent undecided, carrying a margin of error of 5.2 percent.

Both Valdez and Reynoso oppose offensive and defensive military support for Israel and commit to signing the Block the Bombs Act.

Valdez brings deeper experience in pro-Palestinian efforts and noted that Reynoso voiced genocide accusations only after entering the congressional race. She has joined multiple protests organized by the anti-Zionist group Jewish Voice for Peace and cosponsored Mamdani's unsuccessful assembly measure to restrict nonprofit funding for West Bank settlements.

Reynoso holds endorsements from outgoing Representative Nydia Velazquez, Representative Jerry Nadler, state Attorney General Letitia James, and the Working Families Party. He also gained support from Hasidic leaders in Williamsburg and campaigns with progressive City Council member Lincoln Restler to engage the Orthodox community.

NY-17: Lawler faces primary challengers

In the swing district north of New York City, three Democrats compete to challenge Republican Representative Mike Lawler in November. The district features a substantial Jewish population across Rockland, Putnam, and portions of Westchester and Dutchess Counties.

Cait Conley and Beth Davidson occupy moderate positions, presenting themselves as Israel supporters who oppose President Donald Trump. Effie Phillips-Staley, consistently third in polls, is a strongly pro-Palestinian progressive who visited the West Bank this year and faced criticism for an appearance on streamer Hasan Piker's program.

Conley, a former Biden national security adviser leading recent polls, received backing from the pro-Israel Democratic Majority for Israel.

Davidson, who is Jewish, served on her family's synagogue board and described that role as inspiring her public service. She expressed to JTA a desire for her campaign to serve as a welcoming space for Jews who feel disconnected from the Democratic Party.

The primary winner will confront Lawler, who enjoys AIPAC support along with its super PAC's substantial resources and the Republican Jewish Coalition. The seat represents one of Democrats' stronger opportunities for a gain in the fall.

State Assembly: A rabbi and a Jewish lawyer compete at the polls

As Lasher pursues Congress, he leaves open his Upper West Side 69th Assembly district seat. The two candidates vying to succeed him are Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay, an associate dean at the Jewish Theological Seminary for a decade, and Eli Northrup, a Jewish attorney serving as policy director for the Bronx Defenders.

Both identify as progressives. Ruskay holds support from much of the West Side establishment, while Northrup draws more left-leaning endorsements including from Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders.

Ruskay described to JTA her Assembly bid as an extension of her rabbinic work centered on justice. Success would make her the first female rabbi elected to office in New York.

Northrup shared nuanced perspectives on the term Zionism with JTA, aligning with views that the concept and label have lost practical value.

Albany contest: Hochul versus Blakeman

Governor Kathy Hochul and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman are expected to win their primaries on Tuesday, setting up a November gubernatorial matchup.

Blakeman, who is Jewish, presents his campaign as opposition to both Hochul and Mayor Mamdani. He cites Hochul's endorsement of Mamdani when addressing Jewish voters critical of the mayor.

At a recent RJC event, Blakeman stated he seeks the governorship to avoid additional years of what he termed Comrade Kathy alongside Mamdani. He highlighted his firm response to pro-Palestinian protests in Nassau County and criticized Mamdani for missing the Israel Day parade.

Hochul enacted legislation establishing 50-foot buffer zones near houses of worship and noted her participation in the Israel Day Parade on the same day as the RJC gathering, where some marchers carried Blakeman signs.