WASHINGTON, D.C. — Claire Valdez defeated an establishment-backed candidate in New York's congressional primary on June 23, 2026. Valdez won the primary to replace retiring Representative Nydia Velázquez, who was born in Puerto Rico and is a former chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Valdez is Latina and Native American. On the same day, Adriano Espaillat, a Democratic Representative from New York and the current leader of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, lost his primary to Darializa Avila Chevalier.

In Texas, Christian Menefee defeated Al Green in a primary in May. Green, a 78-year-old civil rights activist, was seeking his 12th congressional term. Menefee, 38, is a first-term congressman. Both Menefee and Green are Black and represent a majority-Black district anchored by Houston. Progressive candidates also secured victories in House Democratic primaries for majority-minority districts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

At Valdez's victory party, held in a renovated Brooklyn warehouse, supporters chanted "You're next!" when an image of Hakeem Jeffries appeared on television screens. Jeffries, the House Democratic leader from New York, told a Fox Business reporter when asked about a potential primary challenge, "When you ask me a serious question, I'll give you a serious answer." On Saturday, June 27, Jeffries congratulated New York City's Democratic nominees, including Valdez and Chevalier, stating that the new nominees would help "crush far-right extremism." He added, "The path is different but the work is the same."

Basil Smikle, a former executive director of the New York State Democratic Party who teaches at Columbia University, noted that insurgent candidates and their voters view institutions as "inherently flawed." Smikle suggested a path forward for Jeffries: "This is an opportunity for Hakeem to turn around and say, 'Look, I'm with you, I'm not going to stand in your way, let's iron out our differences and make me speaker, get us back to power.'" Smikle said, "That would be the best way to bridge this divide."

Why It Matters

The Democratic Party is experiencing internal tensions as progressive candidates achieve primary victories over establishment-backed incumbents. These wins, such as those by Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier in New York and Christian Menefee in Texas, indicate a potential shift within the party's composition in the House of Representatives. These primary outcomes occurred as the Democratic electorate grew slightly whiter in 2024, and Donald Trump made gains among Black and Hispanic voters in the same year. Gallup research from 2022 found white Democrats are more likely to identify as liberal compared to Black and Hispanic Democrats.