New York City Comptroller and Progressive Powerhouse Brad Lander Enters Congressional Race, Setting Up Tense Battle Against Moderate Democrat Dan Goldman.
Outgoing New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, a key figure in the city's progressive movement, has announced his candidacy for Congress, pitting himself against moderate pro-Israel Democrat Dan Goldman in a district that includes Lower Manhattan and northwest Brooklyn. The primary will be a test of the party's unity and momentum, particularly after the stunning victory of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in last year's mayoral election.
Lander, who has been a fixture of city politics for over a decade, ran on a platform that highlighted his progressive credentials and criticized Goldman's pro-Israel stance. The comptroller described Goldman as an "adversary" rather than an ally, citing his wealth and support from the country's Israeli government. Lander vowed to challenge Goldman in Washington, saying, "While the oligarchy drives the affordability crisis, they shouldn't be able to buy a seat in Congress."
The candidates' stances on Israel are likely to be a major point of contention. Lander, who identifies as a liberal Zionist, has called for a cease-fire and criticized Israel's conduct in the war, while Goldman has defended the country's right to defend itself against Hamas.
Goldman's campaign released a statement touting his progressive bona fides on Tuesday after Politico reported Lander's entry into the race was imminent. The campaign described Lander as "a choice for a split field" that would ultimately harm their chances in the primary.
Lander's candidacy has been backed by the Working Families Party, an influential progressive third party that played a strategic role in last year's mayoral primary. However, not all left-wing candidates were quick to support Lander. Yuh-Line Niou, a former state assemblymember who was endorsed by the party when she ran for the seat four years ago, said she would not join the race "so we on the left can consolidate behind a unified progressive candidacy."
The WFP's decision to back Lander is seen as an attempt to build momentum and unite the progressive base before next year's election. The party aims to avoid what happened in 2022 when over a dozen candidates, including former Mayor de Blasio, lined up to win the open seat that was created as a result of redistricting.
As the primary approaches, it remains to be seen whether Lander's candidacy will propel progressives forward or create divisions within the party.
Outgoing New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, a key figure in the city's progressive movement, has announced his candidacy for Congress, pitting himself against moderate pro-Israel Democrat Dan Goldman in a district that includes Lower Manhattan and northwest Brooklyn. The primary will be a test of the party's unity and momentum, particularly after the stunning victory of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in last year's mayoral election.
Lander, who has been a fixture of city politics for over a decade, ran on a platform that highlighted his progressive credentials and criticized Goldman's pro-Israel stance. The comptroller described Goldman as an "adversary" rather than an ally, citing his wealth and support from the country's Israeli government. Lander vowed to challenge Goldman in Washington, saying, "While the oligarchy drives the affordability crisis, they shouldn't be able to buy a seat in Congress."
The candidates' stances on Israel are likely to be a major point of contention. Lander, who identifies as a liberal Zionist, has called for a cease-fire and criticized Israel's conduct in the war, while Goldman has defended the country's right to defend itself against Hamas.
Goldman's campaign released a statement touting his progressive bona fides on Tuesday after Politico reported Lander's entry into the race was imminent. The campaign described Lander as "a choice for a split field" that would ultimately harm their chances in the primary.
Lander's candidacy has been backed by the Working Families Party, an influential progressive third party that played a strategic role in last year's mayoral primary. However, not all left-wing candidates were quick to support Lander. Yuh-Line Niou, a former state assemblymember who was endorsed by the party when she ran for the seat four years ago, said she would not join the race "so we on the left can consolidate behind a unified progressive candidacy."
The WFP's decision to back Lander is seen as an attempt to build momentum and unite the progressive base before next year's election. The party aims to avoid what happened in 2022 when over a dozen candidates, including former Mayor de Blasio, lined up to win the open seat that was created as a result of redistricting.
As the primary approaches, it remains to be seen whether Lander's candidacy will propel progressives forward or create divisions within the party.
This is gonna be an interesting primary, I guess. Brad Lander's move into Congress is a big one and it'll be fun to watch how he plays against Dan Goldman. The Israel thing is a major sticking point and I'm not sure if Lander's liberal Zionist stance will rub some folks the wrong way. On one hand, you gotta respect his willingness to challenge the status quo and push back against pro-Israel groups that are perceived as having too much influence. But on the other hand, I think it's a bit rich for him to call Goldman an "adversary" when he's also benefiting from the same oligarchy he's supposed to be taking on.
. It's all about identity politics and pitting one progressive against another. What's next? The party's going to start drafting candidates based on their zip code instead of just whoever's most qualified 
.
. And don't even get me started on Yuh-Line Niou's about-face. If she can't even unite behind a unified progressive candidacy, what makes her think she can win in this crazy primary? 
. So, here we go – another two-year saga of infighting and backroom deals 
. Can't wait! 
like brad lander just threw his hat into the ring and now we got another dem taking on dan goldman in a super competitive primary 
i mean i love goldman but he's been pretty pro-israel if u ask me and lander's like the total opposite 
i'm hoping both candidates bring some heat because at the end of the day, it's all about who gets to represent the people 
! I mean, Brad Lander vs Dan Goldman? It's like a Brooklyn rivalry on steroids 
. As someone who grew up in the city back in the 90s & early 2000s, I've seen plenty of these types of battles play out before 
. It's like, you gotta respect Lander for taking a stand and running on his progressive cred 
, but at the same time, Goldman's got some serious weight behind him 
. Can't wait to see how this all plays out in the primary 
! One thing's for sure, it's gonna be a real nail-biter 
!
. as a progressive, I love that Lander is speaking truth to power and calling out Goldman's pro-Israel stance 
. brad lander might be comin at dan goldman from a good place, but let's not forget that we got bigger fish to fry like affordability crisis & economic inequality 
it's like a big clash of personalities, and with the progressive movement being so strong in the city, i think we might see some major drama 
how will the working families party play this out? will yuh-line niou come back to support goldman or stick with lander? 
one thing for sure is that whoever wins this primary is gonna have their work cut out for them in washington 
So, Brad Lander thinks he's got what it takes to take down Dan Goldman in Congress? 
. But for real though, if the WFP gets their way, this might be a unifying force for the party... or a total disaster 
- the progressive cred vs pro-Israel thing has got me curious 
. Can't wait to see how this all plays out! 
. But one thing's for sure - progressive politics in NYC is heating up 
! 
. It's a tough road ahead, but I think Lander has a good shot 
! 
but Goldman says Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas 
and it seems like they're trying to unite the left behind one candidate. But not all left-wing people are on board with this 
Yuh-Line Niou didn't join Lander's race so that's weird 
. I'm curious to see how this plays out, but at the same time, I'm not sure if it's all gonna come down to party politics... What if the real issue here is just who can best represent our city in DC? 
so Brad Lander thinks he can take down Dan Goldman just 'cause he's got more progressive cred? like bro, Israel is a whole thing, how can u just diss one side and support the other? 
anywayz, i'm rooting for Lander but u never know what's gonna go down in the primary