Claire Valdez (D) defeated Vichal Kumar (D), Antonio Reynoso (D), and Julie Won (D) in the Democratic primary for New York's 7th Congressional District on June 23, 2026. Reynoso, Valdez, and Won led in fundraising and media attention. Incumbent Rep. Nydia Velazquez(D), who was first elected in 1992, did not run for re-election.
According to City and State NY's Rebecca C. Lewis, the dynamics of the primary "can be simplified as testing the emerging strength of [the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (NYC-DSA)] against the more institutional left in the city." New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) endorsed Valdez, who is a member of the NYC-DSA. Velazquez endorsed Reynoso, who is not a member of the NYC-DSA.
The Queens Daily Eagle's Ryan Schwach wrote that "The race initially began as one between the democratic socialist and progressive movements, but the new fundraising numbers seem to indicate that Won, who had been seen as a spoiler to one of her competitors, may have some juice in the race to compete in the Queens-Brooklyn Congressional territory."
