UMVA has learned that a major showdown is unfolding in the Democratic and Republican parties as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former President Donald Trump flex their muscles ahead of primary elections and runoffs in several states.
Mamdani, a 34-year-old socialist mayor, is testing the limits of his political power by backing a slate of left-wing candidates in New York's primary elections, including a trio of congressional contenders taking on established Democratic Party leaders.
At the top of this list is Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old political organizer who is challenging Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus chair, in New York's 13th U.S. House District. Chevalier says a victory on Tuesday could be the "domino" that falls and builds a "socialist power" nationwide.
Mamdani is also backing former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman in the 10th Congressional District, and state Assembly Member Claire Valdez, who is battling Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in New York's 7th Congressional District.
All three congressional primary races have focused in part on anti-Israel sentiment, with Mamdani recently referring to AIPAC, a top pro-Israel lobbying group, as "monsters." Mamdani emphasized in a social media post ahead of a rally last week with the three candidates and Sen. Bernie Sanders that "this is the team. This is our year. It’s up to all of us to get them over the finish line."
Meanwhile, Trump is making an 11th-hour endorsement in the South Carolina GOP gubernatorial runoff, backing both candidates in the showdown to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Henry McMaster. Trump took to social media to say that he was supporting longtime state Attorney General Alan Wilson as well as Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, writing: "I can’t hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other, so, therefore, I am going to Endorse, for Governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson!"
The endorsement of Wilson appeared to be a move by Trump to cover his bases, as he was already backing Evette, who is also supported by McMaster. The South Carolina runoff had been viewed as the latest test of Trump's immense grip over the GOP and the power of his endorsements in Republican nominating contests.
Trump's decision to back both Evette and Wilson wasn't the first time he's made dual endorsements in the same Republican race. The power of the president's endorsement is also on the line in upstate New York, in the race to succeed retiring Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Trump is backing first-time candidate Anthony Constantino, a businessman and former boxer, who is facing off against Robert Smullen, a retired Marine Corps colonel and New York assemblyman who has the backing of the state party.
In other primaries, incumbent Rep. Jerry Nadler's decision to retire has left his Manhattan district open for the first time since he was elected in 1992. Notable Democratic candidates in this crowded field include New York Assembly members Alex Bores and Micah Lasher, and former conservative lawyer and onetime anti-Trump Republican George Conway.
In Utah, voters will nominate candidates for Congress using a new map that created a Democratic-friendly district in Salt Lake City, which upended reelection plans of the state’s all-Republican delegation. And in Maryland, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore faces a longshot primary challenger as he runs for re-election amid speculation that he also has his eye on a potential 2028 presidential campaign.
