SouthernWorldwide.com – As four states gear up for primary elections and runoffs this Tuesday, the political influence of prominent figures like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and former President Donald Trump will be put to the test. While neither is on the ballot themselves, their endorsements and backing of specific candidates in New York, Maryland, Utah, and South Carolina are poised to reveal shifts in party dynamics.
Donald Trump, in a strategic move ahead of the South Carolina GOP gubernatorial runoff, has endorsed both candidates vying for the Republican nomination. This eleventh-hour backing aims to cover his bases in the contest to succeed outgoing Republican Governor Henry McMaster.
Meanwhile, Mayor Zohran Mamdani is actively challenging the established Democratic Party leadership. This comes a year after his significant victory in the New York City Democratic primary, which propelled him to become the mayor of the nation’s most populous city. He is now supporting a slate of candidates in the current primaries, including progressive congressional hopefuls aiming to unseat long-standing Democratic incumbents.
One such candidate is Darializa Avila Chevalier, a political organizer backed by Mamdani, who is challenging incumbent Representative Adriano Espaillat for New York’s 13th Congressional District. This district encompasses northern Manhattan and a portion of the Bronx. Chevalier, who identifies as socialist, believes a win could spark a nationwide movement for “socialist power.”
Espaillat, a decade-long veteran of Congress, has garnered support from influential party figures, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
Mamdani is also supporting former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who previously competed against Mamdani in the mayoral primary and has since become a staunch ally. Lander is now challenging incumbent Democratic Representative Dan Goldman in the 10th Congressional District, covering Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn. Goldman’s supporters include former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
In New York’s 7th Congressional District, which includes parts of Brooklyn and Queens, Mamdani has endorsed state Assembly Member Claire Valdez. Valdez is running against Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who is backed by retiring Representative Nydia Velazquez.
Both Valdez and Avila Chevalier are also members of the Democratic Socialists of America, aligning with Mamdani’s progressive platform.
The congressional primary races have seen significant focus on issues related to Israel, with Valdez emphasizing the need for Democratic candidates to have “moral clarity” on the subject. Mamdani himself has been critical of AIPAC, a prominent pro-Israel lobbying group, referring to them as “monsters.”
“This is the team. This is our year. It’s up to all of us to get them over the finish line,” Mamdani stated in a social media post, rallying support for the three candidates alongside Senator Bernie Sanders.
At a recent rally, Mamdani stressed that the Democratic Party “must change,” signaling a desire for a significant ideological shift within the party.
‘FULL-BLOWN BATTLE’ BREWING IN DEM PARTY AS MAMDANI-STYLE CANDIDATES RISE IN KEY RACES
This bold strategy carries inherent risks for Mamdani, potentially positioning him as a kingmaker or, conversely, diminishing his political standing.
The young socialist mayor has garnered significant support from the far-left. However, six months into his tenure, he has also managed to secure the support of former critics within the Democratic Party, including Governor Hochul. Notably, he has even received praise from Donald Trump.
Trump, who previously labeled Mamdani a “communist lunatic,” shifted his tone during a widely publicized Oval Office meeting in November, calling him a “very rational person” who would do a “really good job.”
“He remains incredibly popular, and it appears he also understands that may not always be the case. That’s why I think you see him flexing his political muscle now. It’s smart politics,” commented Caiazzo, a strategist with experience in the Sanders presidential campaigns.
The candidates endorsed by Mamdani, including those running for state legislative positions, largely champion his platform focused on affordability, a critical issue in a city with one of the highest costs of living in the nation.
Mamdani’s endorsement of the three congressional candidates and his recent rally with Bernie Sanders provide Republicans with ammunition. They have consistently portrayed the mayor as a radical, using him as a symbol to galvanize voters and bolster their efforts to maintain their narrow House majority in the upcoming midterm elections.
“And during a time when Democrats don’t have a leader or a message, he’s exactly the kind of bogeyman we can use against Democrats to truly show who is leading their party and the crazy policies they all support.”
In South Carolina, Trump took to social media to announce his support for both state Attorney General Alan Wilson and Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette in the Republican gubernatorial runoff. This dual endorsement aims to avoid alienating either candidate.
“I can’t hurt one of them by only Endorsing the other, so, therefore, I am going to Endorse, for Governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson!” Trump posted, adding, “With either one you can’t go wrong.”
This endorsement of Wilson appears to be a strategic move to hedge his bets, as Trump had previously backed Evette, who also has the support of Governor McMaster, a close ally of the former president.
The South Carolina runoff was seen as a crucial test of Trump’s influence within the Republican Party and the impact of his endorsements in GOP nominating contests.
This is not the first instance of Trump making dual endorsements in a single Republican race. A notable example was his endorsement of “ERIC” in the 2022 Missouri Senate primary, where both Eric Schmitt and Eric Greitens claimed the endorsement, with Schmitt ultimately securing the nomination.
Trump had initially endorsed Evette in South Carolina a week and a half before the gubernatorial primary.
Evette secured the top spot in a crowded primary field, followed by Wilson. Other notable candidates included Representatives Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, and businessman Rom Reddy. As no candidate achieved a majority, Evette and Wilson advanced to the runoff election.
Following their failure to advance, Mace and Norman endorsed Wilson. Senator Ted Cruz, a prominent conservative figure, also joined Wilson on the campaign trail on the eve of the runoff.
Reacting to Trump’s endorsement of both candidates, Mace posted on social media, “LMAO,” expressing her amusement.
The runoff between Evette and Wilson became heated, with both candidates engaging in personal attacks and accusations of dishonesty during their final debate.
Wilson sought to differentiate himself by highlighting his experience as attorney general, contrasting it with what he described as Evette’s largely ceremonial role as lieutenant governor. He emphasized his background as a combat veteran, prosecutor, and the state’s chief law enforcement officer.
Evette positioned herself as an outsider and a businesswoman with Trump’s backing, while characterizing Wilson as a career politician.
The power of Trump’s endorsement is also being tested in upstate New York, in the race to succeed retiring Republican Representative Elise Stefanik.
Trump is supporting Anthony Constantino, a businessman and former boxer, who is competing against Robert Smullen, a retired Marine Corps colonel and New York assemblyman who has the backing of the state Republican Party.
Also on the primary ballot
The retirement of incumbent Representative Jerry Nadler has opened up his Manhattan district, a seat he has held since 1992. Prominent Democratic candidates in this competitive race include New York Assembly members Alex Bores and Micah Lasher, Jack Schlossberg, grandson of the late President John F. Kennedy, and George Conway, a former conservative lawyer and once a Republican critic of Trump. Nadler has endorsed Lasher, a former congressional staffer.
In New York’s 17th Congressional District, located in the city’s northern suburbs and exurbs, five Democrats are vying for the nomination. The winner will face Republican Representative Mike Lawler in a critical general election race that is among a handful that will determine whether Republicans retain their slim House majority.
In Utah, voters will select congressional candidates under a new electoral map that has created a Democratic-leaning district in Salt Lake City, disrupting the reelection prospects of the state’s all-Republican congressional delegation.
Meanwhile, in Maryland, Democratic Governor Wes Moore is seeking reelection and faces a long-shot primary challenger. There is ongoing speculation about his potential presidential campaign in 2028.
