Mamdani-endorsed progressives fight to join Congress

One year after Zoran Mamdani won the election to become New York City's mayor, candidates that he endorsed are fighting for seats in the United States Congress. There's Brad Lander, a former city comptroller, Darlisa Avila-Chevalier, a community advocate, and Claire Valdez, a former union organizer turned state assembly member focused on labor rights. They campaign on progressive promises, including abolishing ICE and universal health insurance. Those are popular amongst Democrats, but could prove to be politically contentious in the broader Congress. People are really suffering under an incredible affordability crisis. The threat of fascism, the labor movement being undercut for generations, and we're just at a moment when we're facing a lot of crises that require our attention. Our resources should be going towards the things that make our lives dignified and that make our communities thrive, not towards war, not towards ICE, but things that are harming our communities. But abolishing ICE and establishing Medicare for All will face big political obstacles. Making progress will require building coalitions and starting with smaller legislative wins. Candidates do have other goals, too. I think advancing a vision for what public and social housing can and should be in the United States. Banning stock trading by members of Congress. We can do on day one. It doesn't matter what Donald Trump says. And maybe that restores a little bit of trust, people say. That's gross that members of Congress trade stocks. At least this new Congress is doing something, you know, to show me they're not just all in it for themselves. There is a precedent for progressives. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez arrived in Congress promising major change, but also worked across party lines on issues where she could find common ground. There is always something that two people can agree on. And that's where I plan on starting, because I think organizing is about meeting people where they're at, finding that point of commonality. For Mamdani allies, the challenge now is turning momentum into policy without losing sight of what propelled them into office in the first place.