Democratic Primary Shake-Up in New York

In an unexpected result, Democratic New York State Representative Dan Goldman was defeated in Tuesday’s primary election, despite backing from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Goldman’s opponent, former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, emerged victorious in the race for New York’s 10th Congressional District. Lander’s campaign was focused on critiquing the pro-Israel lobby and capitalized on support from younger voters and some celebrity endorsements.

During his campaign, Goldman saw nearly $195,000 in contributions from AIPAC and related organizations, a substantial amount for his reelection efforts. AIPAC’s super PAC, the United Democracy Project, has notably invested over $38 million in the current election cycle, aiming to surpass previous spending records. This was also reflected in their $26 million expenditure during the 2022 midterm elections.

Lander took aim at Goldman for not critiquing Israel’s actions in Gaza and for his close ties to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Goldman did mention in a discussion that labeling what happens in Gaza as “genocide” is complex, though he described the situation as “horrible.” Lander countered that AIPAC’s unconditional support was detrimental to the Democratic Party, pushing Goldman to acknowledge that AIPAC does have significant issues, albeit he defended some of its stances.

In his campaign video, Lander vowed not to follow “AIPAC’s orders” if he gets elected to Congress.

Goldman previously served as the lead legal counsel for House Democrats during Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, which centered around a contentious phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regarding Hunter Biden’s connection to Burisma. Following that, Goldman announced his congressional candidacy in 2022.

Lander garnered notable support from Democratic figures like Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders, as well as endorsements from various progressive groups. His policy proposals include abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and expanding the Supreme Court to include additional justices. He also advocates for access to transgender surgeries for minors, broader abortion rights, and taxpayer-funded housing.

Interestingly, he took a stand against warrantless surveillance and sought an end to the Iran war, positions that some conservative civil libertarians have supported.

Younger voters proved instrumental in Lander’s success, while older voters seemed more mixed in their support, according to various polls indicating that his strongest backing came from those under 40.

In 2025, Lander faced allegations of assaulting Department of Homeland Security employees, which were later dropped. He was also arrested that September for staging a sit-in to protest the detention of undocumented immigrants, but was acquitted of those charges in June the following year.