The district that 'belongs to the left': WFP details its primary strategy in NY

Working Families Party leaders rallied on Saturday for Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the Democratic primary for New York’s 7th Congressional District. New York Attorney General Letitia James and U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez joined elected officials and labor leaders to support Reynoso. The event served as a rebuke of Assemblymember Claire Valdez, the Democratic primary candidate endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The seat became open after Velázquez announced retirement, and City Councilmember Julie Won is also on the ballot. The WFP framed the race as a test of whether it and its allies still lead the left, emphasizing working people, labor unions, and community organizations. Jasmine Gripper said the district belongs to the left.

"On Saturday morning, some of the Working Families Party's heavyweights came out to rally for Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in his ongoing primary fight to represent New York's 7th Congressional District."

"But this time, instead of a rally with Mamdani, Saturday's event amounted to a rebuke of the mayor's endorsed candidate, Assemblymember Claire Valdez, a fellow democratic socialist, in the Democratic primary for the 7th congressional district."

"For the WFP and its allies, the race is about showing working people, labor unions and community organizations that they are still the leaders of the left. Jasmine Gripper, who now leads the New York State WFP solo after her cochair joined the Mamdani administration, said the 7th Congressional District "belongs to the left.""

"It's one of two marquee Democratic congressional primaries the WFP is focused on this cycle. The other is in the 10th Congressional District, a seat covering part of Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan where the WFP seeks to oust incumbent Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman in favor of former city Comptroller Brad Lander, a longtime WFP stalwart."

Read at Gothamist