Claire Valdez launches bid for Nydia Velazquez House seat with backing from mayor allies
Progressive Primary Battle Shapes New York Congressional Representation
Queens state Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, a Democratic Socialists of America member and close ally of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, formally announced her candidacy for New York’s 7th Congressional District seat. The 36-year-old former union organizer seeks to replace retiring Representative Nydia Velazquez, a prominent Hispanic caucus member serving Puerto Rican and Latino communities across Northern Brooklyn and Western Queens. Valdez’s campaign promises a golden age of labor organizing and opposition to what she terms regime change operations in Venezuela, positioning her candidacy within the new progressive movement ascendent in New York City politics.
Valdez’s Background and Political Commitments
Valdez has established a record in the New York State Assembly championing working-class constituencies and organized labor interests. Her political formation within the Democratic Socialists of America aligns with Mamdani’s ideological framework and policy priorities. In her campaign launch video posted to social media, Valdez articulated a vision of aggressive labor organizing and international solidarity with left-wing governments facing United States intervention. She positioned the 7th District race as consequential for determining what Democratic majority would prioritize nationally if Democrats regain House control.
Strategic Support From Mamdani Network
While Mamdani has not formally endorsed Valdez, he publicly praised her capabilities in December when her potential candidacy circulated. The mayor characterized Valdez as someone who has demonstrated ability to marry working-class politics with organized labor interests while advancing leftist ideology. Mamdani’s brain trust members Morris Katz and Andrew Epstein, who directed his insurgent mayoral campaign, are advising Valdez’s congressional campaign. Katz reportedly pushed Mamdani to endorse both Valdez in the 7th District race and Assembleman Micah Lasher in the neighboring 12th District race.
Primary Opposition From Another Progressive Candidate
Valdez faces formidable competition from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso in the Democratic primary. Reynoso, a native Brooklyn resident and former city councilman, claims progressive credentials and labor movement relationships comparable to Valdez’s. The race between two left-leaning candidates for the same seat suggests that ideological alignment does not preclude significant competition over representation and policy emphasis. Reynoso’s long-time presence in Brooklyn politics contrasts with Valdez’s recent arrival to the area, potentially advantaging the borough president among longtime residents.
District Characteristics and Electoral Context
New York’s 7th Congressional District encompasses parts of Northern Brooklyn including areas with substantial Puerto Rican and Latino populations alongside White working-class neighborhoods. The district has elected Hispanic representatives for decades, beginning with Representative Robert Garcia and continuing through Nydia Velazquez’s long tenure. Valdez and Reynoso both emphasize their commitment to serving Latino communities while advancing more radical economic transformation than Velazquez pursued. The primary outcome will shape what kind of progressive Democrat will represent these constituencies.
National Democratic Implications
The race represents a broader pattern of organized left forces mobilizing to reshape congressional representation. Similar challenges to moderate House members have occurred across the country as activist networks coordinate candidate recruitment and resource deployment. Valdez’s race links to progressive efforts to retake House control while ensuring that Democratic majority would embrace ambitious economic transformation. Success by Valdez or similar candidates could meaningfully shift House Democratic priorities toward labor-focused and anti-imperialist policies.
Mamdani’s Political Network Expansion
The arrangement wherein Mamdani’s campaign strategists assist Valdez’s congressional race demonstrates how local mayoral victories create infrastructure for broader political contestation. Katz and Epstein’s involvement indicates intention to translate Mamdani’s electoral coalition into influence over congressional representation and House Democratic leadership. This pattern of network expansion and mutual support among socialist-identified politicians suggests emerging institutional coherence within New York left politics. Discover Democratic Socialists New York. Learn more at House of Representatives. ExploreNew York labor information. Find Progressive political movements.
