New York progressive sweep sparks reckoning as Hispanic caucus loses Espaillat

The defeat of Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) in this week’s primary toppled a powerful and history-making incumbent, sparking complex feelings for members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) he now chairs.

Espaillat and Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) were two New York incumbents who lost to candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D), a case of progressive candidates being forced out by those even further to the left.

“It’s heartbreaking. It is so heartbreaking. The first formerly undocumented member of Congress, a real fighter for his district, someone who I think really helped the CHC be a powerhouse this Congress. It’s a huge loss. It’s a huge loss for the caucus; it’s a loss for the Congress, it’s a loss for the country,” said Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), a member of the caucus who has worked with Espaillat for years and who, like many others in the CHC, is also a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), another close friend of Espaillat’s, started tearing up when speaking with The Hill.

“I think we’re all going through our own personal seven steps of grief. I’m kind of stuck on anger because he’s just done so much,” she said.

“He’s brought this caucus to a new level, speaking on issues not just on immigration, but jobs, wages, schools, I mean the cross section, because frankly, every issue impacts our Latino communities, and he’s always been there to champion that … He’s been a champion for civil rights, for immigrant rights and for hardworking, decent people, and I think that will be his legacy.”

Tensions over the New York primaries have been brewing for months, though all three figures backed by Mamdani easily won their primaries. 

Retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) in January warned Mamdani about interfering in primaries, saying it “opens up fights” and “can be a distraction from the work that you need to do.”

Mamdani, however, backed the opponent of Velázquez’s chosen successor, and while he had initially........

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