Mamdani-backed socialist wins NYC House seat as DSA expands its reach in Congress

Claire Valdez, a Democratic candidate for Congress in New Yorks 7th Congressional District, is projected to win her congressional race against Republican challenger Melvin Rivera, a community activist, on Tuesday evening in the race to fill the seat of outgoing Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y.

Velázquez, who has held the seat since 2013 and has been a member of Congress since 1993, is retiring.

The districts strong Democratic lean made Valdez the favorite, and her victory marks another noteworthy win for the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in the 2026 midterms.

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In the June primary, New Yorks 7th District was seen as a proxy for the direction of the party.

During that race, Valdez faced off against a crowded field of other congressional hopefuls. Among them was Antonio Reynoso, the Brooklyn borough president.

While Valdez enjoyed the backing of the DSA and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed socialist, Reynoso received support from more established Democrats — including the outgoing Velázquez.

"Its very nice to get to New York for a few years and to have opinions about other elected officials without knowing the history and the struggle and who was there fighting corrupt government," Velázquez told the New York Times ahead of the primary.

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"Now, all of the sudden, people want to come in and decide who is the best candidate with total disregard to the history, the background."

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries didnt endorse in the race, but surmised the divides at play in the race, noting the DSAs break with many other New York Democratic figures, including Letitia James, the states attorney general.

"Nydia Velázquez and a coalition of very progressive Democrats, including Tish James… along with the Working Families Party and many of the unions… are on one side of that race, with DSA on the other," Jeffries told reporters in June.

Valdez based her primary platform on promises to abolish ICE and implement a -style approach to climate change. She also supports universal rent control and Medicare for All.

Her platform attracted the backing of the DSA in January.

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"With this endorsement, Valdezs campaign will be powered by the same volunteer army that propelled Mayor Zohran Mamdani to victory in 2025… Valdez is the only candidate running in NY-7 who has committed to not taking money from the real estate industry," the group stated in a press release.

Democratic strategist Mally Smith told Fox News Digital, "I