NEW YORK — US Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the House minority leader, on Saturday congratulated recent winners of New York Democratic Party primaries, despite two of the candidates declining to support him as a potential House speaker.

Jeffries’ statement congratulated Darializa Avila Chevalier, Claire Valdez, Brad Lander and Micah Lasher, who all won Democratic party primaries in New York City this week.

All are expected to win seats in Congress in the general election in their Democratic-majority districts.

“From public servants to union organizers to community activists, the path is different but the work is the same,” Jeffries said in a statement. “We must decisively address the affordability crisis and crush far-right extremism.”

In each election, Israel was a central issue. Chevalier and Valdez are aligned with anti-Zionist ideology, while Lander is Jewish and defines himself as a “liberal Zionist” but is also harshly critical of Israel.

Jeffries is generally supportive of Israel, a major wedge issue between Democratic Party moderates and its insurgent far-left flank.

Jeffries, as House minority leader, regularly welcomes new party members to the House, but the congratulatory statement was complicated by political circumstances surrounding the primary campaigns.

Chevalier defeated incumbent US Rep. Adriano Espaillat and Lander beat incumbent US Rep. Dan Goldman. Jeffries had endorsed Espaillat and........

© The Times of Israel