Here are the NYC seats DSA is eyeing in 2026

The New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America plans to endorse up to seven Assembly candidates and two congressional candidates in next year’s midterm elections.

The socialist organization behaves less like a progressive advocacy group and more like a party surrogate – recruiting its own candidates, staffing their campaigns, shaping their policy platforms and organizing massive volunteer canvassing operations. Wary of overstretching itself, DSA chooses its endorsements very carefully after significant internal deliberation, rather than weighing in on every race.

Still, the socialist group has a full slate of candidates ready to run next year – in special elections, for open seats and against Democratic incumbents. Here’s a list of the state legislative and congressional seats that DSA is targeting next year.

This list doesn’t include races where a candidate was endorsed by DSA but later dropped out (sorry, City Council Member Alexa Avilés) or primaries where a DSA member is running but either didn’t apply for the group’s endorsement (as in the case of Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas) or didn’t receive it. It also doesn’t include DSA-backed incumbents who are just running for reelection (like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, state Sens. Julia Salazar, Kristen Gonzalez and Jabari Brisport and Assembly Members Emily Gallagher, Phara Souffrant Forrest and Marcela Mitaynes). This list was last updated on Dec. 22, 2025.

Assembly District 34

DSA candidate: Aber Kawas

DSA endorsement status: Official

Incumbent: Jennifer González-Rojas, who’s leaving to run for state Senate

Serious rivals: Brian Romero

Democratic primary vote: 70% Mamdani, 30% Andrew Cuomo

What’s the deal?: It’s socialist vs. socialist in this Democratic primary. When Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas, a DSA member who’s not endorsed by the socialist group, launched her state Senate campaign, she endorsed Brian Romero, her former chief of staff, to replace her. Romero is a loyal DSA member who worked for both González-Rojas and DSA-backed state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez. But DSA’s Queens branch instead favored Kawas, a Palestinian American organizer who worked closely with Mamdani on his “Not on Our Dime!” bill. 

Kawas has been an outspoken critic of Israel and an advocate for the civil rights of Muslim communities in New York. Before running for office, she worked at a CUNY legal clinic that represents people – particularly Muslims and immigrants – who have been targeted by the national security state and federal immigration authorities. Her past statements defending the rights of Muslim New Yorkers accused of terrorism have already caused some controversy.

Although DSA endorsed Kawas, Romero plans to continue running for Assembly. That decision hasn’t gone over well among his DSA comrades, since DSA members who lose endorsement votes are supposed to suck it up, drop their bids and get behind whomever the organization’s membership supports. But Romero argues that he has much stronger ties to the district – he grew up there, while Kawas grew up in Bay Ridge and only moved to Queens a few years ago – and would be a more effective advocate for its residents, given his Albany experience.

DSA has a decent presence in the district, but Romero will have the support of many progressive groups and elected officials, and it’s not clear Kawas will be able to draw a sharp ideological distinction between herself and Romero, a fellow socialist.

The Zohran factor: The mayor-elect reportedly supports Kawas and is almost certain to endorse her, which could make the difference in a close race.

Assembly District 36

DSA candidate: Diana Moreno

DSA endorsement status: Official

Incumbent: Zohran Mamdani, who’s leaving to be mayor

Serious rivals: Rana Abdelhamid and Mary Jobaida

Democratic primary vote: 81% Mamdani, 19% Cuomo

What’s the deal?: Three DSA members are looking to succeed Mamdani in the Assembly: Diana Moreno, a former co-chair of Queens DSA; Rana Abdelhamid, a local Muslim community organizer; and Mary Jobaida, who previously ran for Assembly in a neighboring district. But Moreno was the only one to apply for DSA’s endorsement, and she easily received it. Moreno, who was born in Ecuador and moved to the U.S. when she was 11 years old, also has good relationships with immigrant advocacy groups and organized labor, having previously served as deputy director of New Immigrant Community Empowerment and communications director for the New York State Nurses Association.

Abdelhamid is well-respected within Astoria’s significant Muslim and Middle Eastern and North African community, and she announced a fundraiser with DSA-backed Rep. Rashida Tlaib. Jobaida can probably count on support from the neighborhood’s growing Bangladeshi population. But Moreno is the front-runner for this seat in the heart of “The People’s Republic of Astoria.”

The one hitch: there will be a special election on Feb. 3 to fill out the rest of Mamdani’s term, which means the Queens Democratic Party will select the Democratic nominee – and the country machine is unlikely to pick a DSA activist. If she doesn’t get the Democratic nomination, Moreno might be able to run on the Working Families Party line in the Feb. 3 special election. Otherwise, she’ll have to wait and challenge the new Democratic incumbent in the June primary.

The Zohran factor: Mamdani has organized alongside Moreno for years and formally endorsed her at a rally in Astoria on Dec. 20.

Assembly District 38

DSA candidate: David Orkin

DSA endorsement status: Likely

Incumbent: Jenifer Rajkumar

Democratic primary vote: 70% Mamdani, 30% Cuomo

What’s the deal?: DSA and the broader left have been searching for some time for a candidate to challenge Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar, a moderate Democrat and frequent critic of the progressive left who was a strong ally to outgoing Mayor Eric Adams. They finally found one in David Orkin, a DSA member and staff attorney at the influential immigrant advocacy group Make the Road New York.

It’s not guaranteed that DSA will endorse Orkin, but it seems likely. Following a DSA candidate forum on Dec. 10, the Electoral Working Group voted overwhelmingly, 92% to 3%, to recommend endorsing Orkin. He still needs to win at least 60% support in two more votes – a vote of DSA’s Queens and North Brooklyn branches and a vote of the group’s Citywide Leadership Committee – before the endorsement is official.

The Zohran factor: There’s no love lost between Mamdani and Rajkumar, and Mamdani will almost certainly endorse Orkin in this race if DSA does.

Assembly District 54

DSA candidate: Christian Celeste Tate

DSA endorsement status: Official

Incumbent: Erik Dilan

Democratic primary vote: 70% Mamdani, 29% Cuomo

What’s the deal?: In 2018, Julia Salazar defeated then-state Sen. Martin Dilan, becoming the first DSA-backed elected official in the state Legislature. Since then, DSA has repeatedly tried to unseat Erik Dilan, Martin’s son, but with less success. In the 2020 cycle, Salazar’s former chief of staff Boris Santos launched a primary challenge, only to drop out for personal reasons. In 2022, Samy Nemir Olivares – with support from both DSA and the Working Families Party – ran against Dilan and lost by 5 points (about 200 votes). DSA’s latest hope for defeating Dilan is Christian Celeste Tate, an anti-poverty activist who led canvasses for Mamdani’s mayoral campaign in the district.

The Zohran factor: Dilan endorsed Mamdani in the general election and has been named to the mayor-elect’s elected advisory council, which could make it less likely that Mamdani will endorse Celeste Tate’s primary challenge against him.

Assembly District 56

DSA candidate: Eon Huntley

DSA endorsement status: Official

Incumbent: Stefani Zinerman

Democratic primary vote: 75% Mamdani, 25% Cuomo

What’s the deal?: After challenging Assembly Member Stefani Zinerman in 2024 and losing by just 6 points in 2024, Eon Huntley is back. This time around, he actually lives in the district (he was a few blocks outside of it the last time he ran against Zinerman) and he has the support of popular New York City Council Member Chi Ossé, whose district overlaps with Zinerman’s. DSA endorsed Huntley in 2024 and is endorsing him again this cycle. Zinerman has some powerful forces in her corner; in 2024, she was endorsed by both House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and state Attorney General Letitia James and received significant financial support from super PACs affiliated with major real estate figures and pro-charter school interest groups. DSA is hoping that momentum from Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory will be enough to carry Huntley across the finish line this time.

The Zohran factor: Mamdani endorsed Huntley’s 2024 challenge against Zinerman, but he’s also reluctant to alienate James, who has become a prominent ally, or start a war with Jeffries. If the Black political establishment rallies around Zinerman, Mamdani may decide that endorsing Huntley is too much trouble. 

Assembly District 70

DSA candidate: Conrad Blackburn

DSA endorsement status: Likely

Incumbent: Jordan Wright

Democratic primary vote: 63% Mamdani, 37% Cuomo

What’s the deal?: Assembly Member Jordan Wright was elected to the Assembly in 2024, taking over the seat once occupied by his father Keith Wright, now the leader of the Manhattan Democratic Party. The younger Wright is clearly being groomed for party leadership as well and was just named the head of the Manhattan Young Democrats.  

But Conrad Blackburn, a DSA member and staff attorney at The Bronx Defenders, is challenging Wright from the left. Blackburn already has the support of the United Auto Workers Region 9A, which represents Bronx Defenders employees, and is now seeking DSA’s endorsement. Following a DSA candidate forum on Dec. 10, NYC-DSA’s Electoral Working Group voted overwhelmingly, 93% to 3%, to recommend endorsing his campaign. Blackburn still needs to get at least 60% support in two more votes – one of DSA’s Bronx/Upper Manhattan branch and one of the group’s Citywide Leadership Committee – before the endorsement is official.

The Zohran factor: Mamdani is unlikely to want to pick a fight with the Wrights, both of whom backed Cuomo in the primary but endorsed Mamdani in the general election and have since been named to Mamdani’s elected advisory committee.

Assembly District 75

DSA candidate: Danny Valdes

DSA endorsement status: Conditional

Incumbent: Tony Simone, who could vacate the seat to run for state Senate

Democratic primary vote: 57% Mamdani, 43% Cuomo

What’s the deal?: The Assembly district is currently occupied by Assembly Member Tony Simone, a reliable progressive. DSA has endorsed Danny Valdes, the co-chair of the group’s Cuba Solidarity Working Group, to run for this seat, “in the event that AD-75 is vacated by the incumbent.” That once seemed plausible – Simone made little secret of his desire to run for state Senate – but it now appears increasingly unlikely. With City Council Member Erik Bottcher entering the state Senate race, there’s probably no room for Simone, which means he’ll need to run for reelection to the Assembly – and then Valdes won’t have an open seat to run in.

The Zohran factor: If the seat does open up, there’s little reason for Mamdani not to endorse Valdes, since he won’t be challenging an incumbent. 

7th Congressional District

DSA candidate: Claire Valdez or (much less likely) Tiffany Cabán

DSA endorsement status: Likely

Incumbent: Nydia Velázquez, who is not running for reelection

Rival candidates: Antonio Reynoso

Democratic primary vote: 76% Mamdani, 24% Cuomo

What’s the deal?: When “La Luchadora” Rep. Nydia Velázquez announced she wouldn’t run for reelection, a House seat opened in the heart of the “Commie Corridor.” Two elected officials were widely seen as potential Velázquez successors: state Sen. Julia Salazar, who was the first DSA member elected to the state Legislature, and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. With Salazar deciding not to run for Congress, the field seemed to be clear for Reynoso, who has already been endorsed by a number of progressive City Council members and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and could receive an endorsement from Velázquez as well. But DSA isn’t giving up without a fight.

Both Assembly Member Claire Valdez, a former UAW organizer who was just elected to the state Legislature last year, and City Council Member Tiffany Cabán, who has spent four years in the council, are applying for DSA’s endorsement. The socialist group will hold a candidate forum next month, and Valdez is almost certain to get the endorsement. Reynoso already has a head start, but Valdez can likely count on endorsements from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain as she runs a Mamdani-style campaign focused on affordability. (Valdez supporters had hoped Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would also back her, but that’s much less likely to happen if Velázquez publicly endorses Reynoso.)

The Zohran factor: The mayor-elect and his team have reportedly pushed Valdez to run, and he’s expected to play a major role as a surrogate for her. Valdez is a close Mamdani ally, and this is DSA’s best shot to win another congressional seat and bring Mamdani’s message to the national stage. The mayor-elect will do just about everything in his power to help her win.

13th Congressional District

DSA candidate: Darializa Avila Chevalier

DSA endorsement status: Likely

Incumbent: Adriano Espaillat

Democratic primary vote: 60% Mamdani, 40% Cuomo

What’s the deal?: Remember Justice Democrats? The progressive group that helped get Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez elected in 2018 has been dormant for a few years, but they’re making a splashy comeback this cycle – and one member of their new slate of candidates is Darializa Avila Chevalier, a Harlem-based organizer who played an active role in pro-Palestinian encampments at Columbia University. Chevalier recently joined DSA and has applied for DSA’s endorsement. 

She is challenging Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the first formerly undocumented immigrant elected to Congress and an influential Upper Manhattan power broker. Espaillat has a large base of support within the Dominican American community and has tried to build out his own political machine to counter the influence of Manhattan county party boss Keith Wright, his chief rival. Though Espaillat is a reliable progressive, his staunch support for Israel has put him out of step with younger, left-leaning Democratic voters. 

On Dec. 20, DSA’s Electoral Working Group voted 69% to 28% to recommend endorsing Chevalier. She still needs to win at least 60% support in three more votes – a vote of DSA’s Bronx/Upper Manhattan branch, a vote of all NYC-DSA members and a vote of the group’s Citywide Leadership Committee – before the endorsement is official.

The Zohran factor: Although he endorsed Cuomo in the primary, Espaillat was a key endorser for Mamdani in the general election and has now been named to the mayor-elect’s elected advisory council. Mamdani is unlikely to want to go to war with Espaillat, who has influence over key City Council members.