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By Mary Ellen McIntire and Daniela Altimari
New York leads a quartet of states holding primary elections Tuesday, with two House Democrats in New York City fighting for their political lives.
Rep. Dan Goldman faces a strong challenge from former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander in the 10th District, while Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat is seeking to fend off organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier in the 13th District. Both incumbents are backed by fellow New Yorker Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, while the challengers have the support of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Mamdani is also backing state Assemblymember Claire Valdez in the Democratic primary in the 7th District, where Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez is retiring. Velazquez has endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
All three races will test Mamdani’s political power six months into his term. They will also show how far to the left New York City Democrats have gone since the self-avowed democratic socialist’s victory in last year’s mayoral primary.
In the 10th District, the race between Goldman and Lander has underscored Democratic divisions over Israel. Goldman, who rose to prominence as Democrats’ lead counsel during President Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial, has faced attacks over his relationship with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. But the group does not appear to have spent on his behalf. An heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, Goldman has loaned his campaign more than $2 million, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Espaillat, also a longtime supporter of Israel, has benefited from outlays from AIPAC’s political arm. City & State New York reported that United Democracy Project transferred $650,000 to BOLD America, a super PAC that has spent $2.9 million boosting Espaillat and opposing Avila Chevalier.
There’s also a closely watched Democratic primary for the 12th District seat of retiring longtime Rep. Jerrold Nadler. That race has largely centered around four men: state Reps. Micah Lasher and Alex Bores, social media influencer and Kennedy heir Jack Schlossberg, and former conservative lawyer turned Trump critic George Conway.
North of the city, in the Hudson Valley, Democrats in the 17th District will pick their challenger to GOP Rep. Mike Lawler, one of the party’s top targets this fall. Army veteran Cait Conley and Rockland County Legislator Beth Davidson are the leading candidates in the primary.
Further upstate, Republicans in the 21st District will decide their nominee in the race to succeed outgoing Rep. Elise Stefanik. Businessman Anthony Constatino has Trump’s endorsement, while state Assemblymember Robert Smullen is backed by the state GOP and the Conservative Party of New York State.
Maryland
In Maryland, a former member seeks to win back his old House seat by challenging his successor, and there’s a crowded primary to succeed a former member of Democratic leadership.
Two dozen Democrats are facing off for the party nod in the 5th District, where former House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer is retiring. Hoyer has endorsed state Del. Adrian Boafo, who is also supported by Gov. Wes Moore and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks.
A trio of rival candidates – former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, businesswoman Quincy Bareebe and former Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker – took a rare step to team up last week to criticize the millions of dollars that outside groups have spent to boost Boafo’s campaign.
Meanwhile, former Rep. David Trone is challenging Rep. April McClain Delaney, his successor in the 6th District, in an all-Democrat battle between two self-funding candidates. Trone’s $25 million, though, dwarfs his rival’s $7.4 million. McClain Delaney won the seat in 2024 after Trone vacated it for an ultimately unsuccessful Senate run.
Utah
Two Trump-backed House Republicans are squaring off against primary challengers in Utah under a new congressional map. In the 2nd District, third-term Rep. Blake D. Moore faces state Rep. Karianne Lisonbee. And in the 3rd District, Rep. Celeste Maloy is working to stave off a challenge from former state Rep. Phil Lyman.
In both contests the winner of the Republican primary will be heavily favored to prevail in November.
Meanwhile, Democrats are favored to win the Salt Lake City-anchored 1st District, where the primary will test the strength of the party’s left flank. State Sen. Nate Blouin, tax attorney Michael Farrell and tech policy expert Liban Mohamed occupy the progressive lane in the contest, which also includes centrist former Rep. Ben McAdams, the last Democrat to represent Utah in Washington.
South Carolina
The Republican runoff for governor has garnered the most attention. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette narrowly finished ahead of state Attorney General Alan Wilson, the son of Rep. Joe Wilson, in the June 9 primary. Trump initially endorsed Evette but in a social media post Friday, he announced he was backing both candidates.
There are also primary runoffs in the race for Republican Nancy Mace’s 1st District seat. On the Democratic side, retired Navy Adm. Nancy Lacore, who was removed from her post as chief of the Navy Reserve last year by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, will compete against Coast Guard veteran and 2024 contender Mac Deford.
Charleston County Councilmember Jenny Costa Honeycutt and state Rep. Mark Smith are vying for the Republican nod.
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