Claire Valdez, the Democratic candidate in New York’s 7th Congressional District, was projected to defeat Republican community activist Melvin Rivera on Tuesday. The race will fill the seat held by Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who is retiring.
Velázquez has represented the district since 2013 and has served in Congress since 1993. The district strongly favors Democrats, making Valdez the expected frontrunner. Her projected win also adds to the Democratic Socialists of America’s successes in the 2026 midterms.
Valdez’s primary contest in June drew attention as a test of the party’s direction. She ran against several candidates, including Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. The DSA and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani backed Valdez, while Velázquez and other established Democrats supported Reynoso.
Before the primary, Velázquez criticized newcomers who, she said, were weighing in on the race without understanding the district’s history or the people who had fought against corruption there. She also objected to outsiders deciding who the strongest candidate was without considering that background.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries did not endorse either candidate, but noted the divisions within the party. He described Velázquez, state Attorney General Letitia James and other progressive Democrats, along with the Working Families Party and several unions, as aligned on one side, with the DSA on the other.
Valdez’s primary platform included abolishing ICE, pursuing a Green New Deal-style climate policy, establishing universal rent control and creating a Medicare for All system. The DSA endorsed her in January, saying her campaign would benefit from the volunteer network that helped Mamdani win in 2025. The group also pointed to Valdez’s pledge not to accept donations from the real estate industry.
Democratic strategist Mally Smith said Valdez’s victory was unsurprising given how strongly Democratic the district is. Smith added that the party includes candidates on the far left, but argued that Democrats seeking wins in competitive or Republican-leaning states should nominate figures such as Roy Cooper and James Talarico.
Valdez was not the only DSA-backed candidate in New York to win a closely watched primary. Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated Rep. Adriano Espaillat, a senior Democrat who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The victories have drawn national attention and renewed criticism from Democrats concerned about the DSA’s influence in the party.
Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has been among those voicing concern. He criticized colleagues for not speaking out against positions he associated with some candidates, including abolishing prisons, the border and ICE.
