Brad Lander, former New York City comptroller and US Democratic House candidate for New York, during a “Get Out The Vote” rally ahead of a primary election at Kings Theater in the Brooklyn borough of New York, US, on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
Photo: Adam Gray/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Former comptroller Brad Lander cruised to victory Tuesday night, defeating two-term incumbent Dan Goldman in the most expected major result of the evening. The Associated Press called the race for Lander within minutes of the polls closing with initial results showing the veteran city politician with a 30 point lead over the congressman, a staggering gulf that left little opportunity for Goldman to close the gap. Though Goldman, a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, has areas of overlap with Lander on matters of immigration and opposition with Trump, the race was quickly defined by the two candidates’ positions on Israel. Lander, who has referred to Israel’s actions in Gaza as a genocide, often noted Goldman’s refusal to use the term and and highlighted the support Goldman received from pro-Israel lobbying groups like AIPAC.
Though there was scant public polling conducted throughout the race, an Emerson College poll from weeks earlier showed Lander leading Goldman by more than 30 points, a signal that the congressman’s bid for reelection was likely standing on shaky ground. Goldman, a former federal prosecutor and lead counsel during Trump’s first impeachment trial, joined Congress after winning a close race in a crowded field in 2022. He easily won reelection two years later after no serious primary challenger materialized.
Lander launched his campaign last fall with the backing of Mamdani, a political alliance forged during the 2025 mayoral primary where their co-endorsement in the ranked choice race was considered a key factor in Mamdani’s ultimate victory.
