Progressive challenger Brad Lander has easily won the Democratic primary in New York's 10th congressional district, defeating the incumbent Democrat Dan Goldman.
The race between two Jewish New Yorkers focused largely on their very different stances on Israel and its genocide in Gaza.
Lander, a former New York City comptroller who divested from State of Israel bonds while in office, has described the Israeli war in Gaza since October 2023 as a genocide and called Israel an apartheid state for ruling over millions of Palestinians denied civil or political rights in the occupied territories.
He ousted the two-term lawmaker after a bruising campaign that focused heavily on their differences over Israel.
On the campaign trail, Lander concentrated much of his attention on immigration and his opposition to US military aid for Israel.
Avila Chevalier pulls off major upset
Following the progressive gains, community organiser Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated Representative Adriano Espaillat, scoring an upset in the Democratic primary for New York's 13th Congressional District.
The race pitted the community organiser against a five-term congressman.
Espaillat was the first undocumented immigrant elected to Congress.
Avila Chevalier is currently a doctoral student at the City University of New York.
Lasher clinches Manhattan seat
Meanwhile, Micah Lasher, a New York state lawmaker, has won the Democratic primary for a coveted open House seat in Manhattan, according to the Associated Press.
Lasher, 44, bet on an old-school campaign built around experience, policy knowledge and government credentials at a time when many Democratic voters nationwide are demanding outsider energy and anti-establishment voices.
But the result suggested that voters in one of America's wealthiest and most highly educated districts still favour seasoned liberal heavyweights over celebrity and political spectacle.
Lasher was backed by Representative Jerrold Nadler, the retiring congressman whose seat he is set to inherit.
Kennedy heir finishes third
With 85 percent of ballots counted, Lasher led with 39 percent of the vote, ahead of fellow assemblyman Alex Bores, whose campaign became the centre of a $27 million proxy battle between rival factions within the artificial intelligence industry.
Jack Schlossberg, whose candidacy drew huge attention, finished a distant third with 11 percent.
Schlossberg is the grandson of President John F. Kennedy and the grand-nephew of Senator Ted Kennedy.
The race for New York’s 12th Congressional District stood apart from other closely watched primaries across the state.
While several contests became ideological battlegrounds, this campaign unfolded as a more personality-driven fight among establishment liberals.
