A day after progressive candidates dominated the New York primaries, Democrats in Washington downplayed the results, denying they reflected any major leftward shift nationally.
Reps. Adriano Espaillat and Dan Goldman lost to two progressives backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, ending a decade-long congressional career for one and sending a sophomore who represented Democrats during President Donald Trump’s impeachment packing, respectively. Claire Valdez, a third progressive candidate backed by Mamdani, beat out retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez’s handpicked successor.
But at their weekly closed-door meeting Wednesday, House Democrats largely ignored this historic shuttering of the establishment. Instead, the message was simple: pay your dues. Lawmakers are expected to contribute varying amounts to the Democrats’ campaign arm, based on their seniority and committee positions. Leadership presented slides highlighting members who have paid in full and others making significant contributions.