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Socialists Hijacked My City

Plus: The legality of ICE masks, elder care denial, McKinsey consultants dream of pie, and more...

Liz Wolfe | 6.24.2026 9:35 AM

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(Scott Heins / GDA Photo Service/Newscom/Scott Heins / GDA Photo Service/Newscom)

You know I'm inclined toward dramatic retellings, but I swear, this is real. The socialists absolutely swept the New York primary races last night. And now you, dear reader, get to laugh at me even harder for ever choosing to live in this ridiculous place we call New York, trading my self-respect for a few slices of pizza with good crust.

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"In the primary for retiring U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez's seat, state Assembly Member Claire Valdez beat out Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso," reports the Associated Press. "Democratic U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat lost his bid for reelection to Darializa Avila Chevalier, another [Mayor Zohran] Mamdani-backed democratic socialist. Avila Chevalier hasn't held public office before and once helped organize pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University." Chevalier's bio touts that she once "helped lead the removal of the Central Park statue of J. Marion Sims, fought for the release of Abdikadir Mohamed after 18 months of ICE detention under Trump's 'Muslim ban,'…[and] helped lead the 2023–24 Columbia encampment" in support of Hamas/Palestinians (depending on who you ask) and in opposition to Israel.

Relatedly, "a third candidate backed by Mamdani, former city comptroller Brad Lander, defeated U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman by running to his political left," adds the A.P. "The race partly revolved around the war in Gaza, with Lander assailing Goldman for not being critical enough of Israel."

One of the wildest components of all of this is the degree to which the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) claims to represent the working class. The........

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