New York mayor-backed candidates win House seat primaries

Less than seven months after Zohran Mamdani became the youngest New York mayor in a century, he is celebrating the election feats of his slate of congressional candidates that swept establishment-backed Democrats in Tuesday's primaries.

While demanding major changes across the party, Mamdani says it was a question of electing "better Democrats" who will put working people back at the heart of politics.

Mamdani arrives for a K-2 event in the Bronx with New York Liberty's Ellie the Elephant, saying he hopes to export his policies and politics to other states.

The 34-year-old leader of America's largest city has endorsed a trio of progressive candidates in House races, ousting two sitting Democratic incumbents in the process.

On Tuesday night, Congressman Dan Goldman fell in defeat to Mamdani-backed former city Comptroller Brad Lander.

Mamdani's preferred pick, Darializa Avila Chevalier, who helped organise Pro-Palestinian rallies at Columbia University, beat out five-term Congressman Adriano Espaillat.

And democratic socialist state assembly member Claire Valdez, a third Mamdani-endorsed candidate, won the primary for an open House seat representing the 7th district.

Incumbent Rep. Nydia Velazquez is not seeking reelection.

Mamdani says, "And what I see these results as a reflection of are the fact that New Yorkers are hungry for a new kind of politics. They are hungry for a politics that understands working people should be at the heart of it. And they're hungry for a politics that looks at the wealthiest city, and the wealthiest country in the history of the world, and understands that it's unacceptable that one in four are living in poverty."

With Mamdani's clout surging, the mayor's socialist movements highlighting government-funded health insurance, steeper taxes on the rich, and affordable housing could spill out into national politics and pose a challenge to Democratic leaders on the Capitol Hill.

In Washington, US President Donald Trump claims the Democratic party is "going radical left" and the newly minted candidates will "alienate" voters.

(Reporter: Does this tell you that the Democratic Party's 2028 nominee will likely be, or could likely be a Democratic Socialist?)

Trump states: "Well, it should make it easier for Republicans because most of the nation is composed of sane people. They don't want to - you know, if you look throughout history, go back thousands of years, you've always had socialism and communism by different names. It's never, ever worked. It's not going to work this time."