It's Fight Night in New York

It’s Election Day—again. This time in New York, where the Democratic establishment is fending off another wave of far-left whack jobs. If Mayor Mamdani likes you, you’re likely a left-wing loony toon who hates Israel, immigration enforcement, and thinks all deportations are wrong. Oh, there’s a bunch running in today’s primaries, and many could win. It might be a sweep for the progressive Left. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) opted not to run for re-election in NY’s 12^th district, so that race is a free-for-all. It’s truly bloodsports tonight, and we should prepare for a lefty victory lap tonight. Will some Democrats get bloodied in these primaries? Sure, but they’ll mend up by general election time comes around (via Decision Desk):

Democrats are bullish about this midterm cycle and that has contributed to an already growing trend of crowded primaries. The enthusiasm has translated into multiple candidates running in primaries not only in open, strongly Democratic seats like New York’s 12th, but also against incumbent Democrats, in competitive swing seats, and even in longer-shot Republican-held districts. The upside is that many voters have more choice than ever in deciding who ends up on the ballot, and who ultimately represents them. But there are potential downsides for the party as well: requiring candidates to spend money on the fight-before-the-fight, forcing incumbents to fend off challengers, and possibly even leading to weaker candidates in the general.
Could these complications hurt Democrats’ chances to win back the U.S. House in November? Piecing apart some of New York’s busy June 23 primaries can give us a clue. To be sure, the number of candidates probably won’t make a difference one way or the other in a seat as blue as New York’s 12th (it went for Harris by 65 points). But in more competitive districts, a longer ballot in the primary can feel riskier.
Consider New York’s 17th District. Currently held by Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, the seat’s a mix of suburbs, exurbs, and rural areas that stretches from Westchester County up into the Hudson Valley. However, this area has been purple for a while and even voted (narrowly) in favor of Harris in 2024, so Democrats see it as a ripe opportunity for a flip.