Mamdani-Backed Candidates Win, Dealing a Blow to Pro-Israel Forces in the U.S.

Over the past two years, pro-Palestine protesters at Columbia University have faced security crackdowns, academic discipline, and attacks from politicians of both major parties, along with a campaign of expulsion. Now, much of the New York City campus may be represented in the U.S. Congress by an activist who helped organize protests against Israel's war in Gaza.

When Darializa Avila Chevalier, wearing a keffiyeh scarf, first declared her candidacy last November, few knew her name. But her message was clear: She introduced herself as an organizer working to reunite families torn apart by the immigration system and to fight 'what we all know is a genocide in Palestine.' On Tuesday, Avila Chevalier – backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani – defeated veteran Representative Adriano Espaillat, winning the Democratic nomination in one of the biggest surprises of the election cycle.

According to activists, Avila Chevalier's victory, along with those of other candidates endorsed by the social-democratic mayor, signals a decline in the popularity of pro-Israel politics within Democratic circles. Beth Miller, political director of the advocacy group Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Action, called the event 'a political earthquake in New York City' and declared that 'unapologetic support for Palestinian freedom is not only a moral stance but also a path to victory for progressive candidates.'

Three Primary Wins

Two other Mamdani-backed candidates also won congressional races on Tuesday. Brad Lander, a former city comptroller who opposes military aid to Israel, defeated incumbent Representative Dan Goldman, a strong Israel supporter. Claire Valdez, a social-democratic state legislator, secured the nomination for an open seat. Both primary winners are running in safe Democratic districts and are expected to easily win the general election in November.

At the local level, voters also elected strong critics of Israel, including Aber Kawas, who is on track to become New York's first Palestinian-American state senator. Heba Gowayed, a sociology professor at the City University of New York (CUNY), said the results – especially Avila Chevalier's victory over a well-connected incumbent – represent 'a real transformation in what is accepted and desired in American politics' and a major defeat for 'the cynical establishment politics that considered criticizing Israel impossible.'

The professor emphasized that, like Mamdani, the progressive candidates who won in New York did so because of – not despite – their support for Palestinian rights. Iman Abid, political director of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action (USCPR Action), praised the victories of Avila Chevalier and Valdez, saying 'the anti-Palestine political establishment is crumbling before our eyes.'

Beyond New York

Public opinion polls show support for Israel declining sharply in the U.S., especially among Democratic voters. Activists believe the New York results could bring further gains for the pro-Palestine movement nationwide. They point to the success of pro-Palestine candidates in this election cycle, including Chris Rabb in Pennsylvania and Adam Hamawy in New Jersey.

Rabb praised Avila Chevalier's and Valdez's victories, writing on X: 'Darializa knows we need to invest in children, not bombs.' The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and other pro-Israel groups have spent tens of millions of dollars to defeat progressive candidates. However, Beth Miller argued that standing up to AIPAC, supporting Palestinian freedom, and calling for 'a complete end to U.S. complicity with Israel's apartheid and genocide' is proving to be a winning message in Democratic primaries.

When the pro-Palestine winners take office in the next Congress in early 2027, they will widen the emerging rift in the bipartisan consensus on unconditional support for Israel on Capitol Hill. Yet, despite the election of Israel-critical members of Congress and the shift in public opinion over the past decade, U.S. policy remains largely pro-Israel under both Democratic and Republican administrations. Heba Gowayed acknowledged that policy change will take time but stressed that the New York elections 'have proven that change is possible.'

Miller expressed hope that in the next Congress, they can get closer to 'stopping bombs and weapons from reaching Israel' and that 'we should really raise the ceiling of what we believe is possible.'