Democrats sweep New York races as Hochul wins second term as governor

Progressive candidates endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani scored decisive wins in their bids for the United States Congress on Tuesday, cementing a political shift in the New York City area that began with Mamdani's own victory as a Democratic socialist in the 2025 mayoral race.

Brad Lander, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez secured seats in the 120th Congress, representing the 10th, 13th and 7th districts respectively. All three were considered shoo-ins after the state's June 23 party primaries, as their districts lean heavily Democratic.

Adin Lenchner, a progressive political strategist with the consulting firm Carroll Street Campaigns, told Al Jazeera that the national story is about a new generation of progressive leaders. "Brad, Darializa and Claire are on their way to help lift up that same vision of progressive leadership in DC," he said.

The three representatives-elect addressed the public on Tuesday, responding in part to President Donald Trump's pledge earlier in the day to end annual military aid to Israel by the close of the year. Cutting that aid had been central to their platforms, rooted in their opposition to Israel's war in Gaza. "I don't know that we can trust this president to make moral and consistent decisions about our military budget, so we'll have to see," Valdez said outside a polling location in her district.

Valdez arrives in Congress from the state assembly, having started her political career in the labour movement and pushed to make union organising easier. She defeated Republican community activist Melvin Rivera in a largely lopsided race. Elsewhere, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez comfortably won re-election in the 14th congressional district, Assembly member Micah Lasher won his first congressional term by defeating Republican Caroline Shinkle, and incumbent Representative Grace Meng of Queens beat Republican challenger Joseph Chou.

Meng described the broader Democratic sweep in the midterms as "a mandate for us, not just a promotion", saying the new Congress aims to push back on Trump. "He has not treated Congress like a third and independent branch of government and is just going around doing whatever he wants," she told Al Jazeera.

New York Democrats are also pressing for Hakeem Jeffries, the longtime representative for the state's 8th congressional district and current House minority leader, to be chosen as House speaker. If selected, he would become the first Black speaker in the history of the lower chamber. "We are going to course-correct, and my good friend Congressman Hakeem Jeffries is set to wield the speaker's gavel," State Attorney General Letitia James said after her own re-election on Tuesday.

In the gubernatorial race, incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul won another term in Albany, defeating Republican Bruce Blakeman, a lawyer and Nassau County executive who campaigned on tax cuts and immigration reform. Hochul and Adrienne Adams now form the first all-woman ticket elected as governor and lieutenant governor in the state's history. Hochul has held the office since 2021, while Adams previously served on the New York City Council.

In her victory speech, Hochul took aim at Trump, who had campaigned heavily for Republicans before the midterms. "Just a few weeks ago, Donald Trump came to New York and told voters to pretend he was on the ballot," she said. "Well, Mr President, you got your wish."

New York elected a total of 26 members to the House of Representatives in this year's midterms. Hochul's new term begins on the first day of January, and the new congressional leaders will be sworn in on January 3, 2027.