New York’s congressional candidates made their closing arguments Monday on the final full day of campaigning before Tuesday’s primary elections, with several races positioning themselves as early tests of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s political clout. The contests, which pit an ascendant progressive left against establishment Democrats, will measure whether the democratic socialist can leverage the excitement from his mayoral campaign to reshape the city’s congressional delegation, according to the Associated Press.
Mamdani, the young democratic socialist who ignited excitement in last year’s mayoral race, has been working to translate that energy into a reshaped congressional delegation. He has lent his star power to a slate of three House candidates, appearing in several campaign videos on their behalf.
The mayor’s intervention in the primary has been unusually visible. Last week, Mamdani hosted a rally with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a fellow democratic socialist, where the mayor called for sweeping change in the Democratic Party.
Mamdani’s coalition is hoping to extend the energy from his 2025 mayoral win into down-ballot House races. The Associated Press reported that the contests have become bellwethers of his political clout, testing whether the mayor can reshape the city’s congressional delegation.
In a separate closely watched Manhattan contest, Jack Schlossberg, the 33-year-old grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, is seeking a seat in Congress representing part of the borough. He is hoping to ride his family ties and his large social media following into Congress.
Schlossberg’s candidacy had drawn earlier attention because of his Kennedy lineage and his active online presence. On Monday, his campaign emphasized those credentials as he made his closing case to primary voters.
Mamdani’s push into the primaries represents an expansion of his political activity beyond city government. The mayor’s involvement in backing a slate of House candidates — appearing in their campaign videos and rallying with Sanders — marks one of his most assertive interventions in party politics since taking office.
The New York primaries are scheduled for Tuesday. The Associated Press reported that the contests will indicate whether Mamdani’s coalition can convert the energy of his mayoral victory into congressional wins, with the outcome serving as an early measure of the mayor’s ability to shape the city’s House delegation.