Topic: Claire Valdez

Reps. Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., with California congressional candidate Randy Villegas (front) Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., New York congressional candidate Brad Lander and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. (back) (Illustration by Salon / Getty Images / Andrew Harnik / Kayla Bartkowski / Andrew Lichtenstein / Nathan Posner / Jon Kopaloff / Tom Williams)

The “Squad” is about to get a lot bigger

Russell Payne
On election morning, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joins former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander as he campaigns for Congress outside of an election polling center, June 23, 2026 in the Lower East Side neighborhood of New York City. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

New York is exporting Mamdani politics

Russell Payne
Democratic Congressional candidate Brad Lander stands with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani after winning the 10th District Democratic primary on June 23, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Lander defeated incumbent Dan Goldman. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

New York City’s rising power centers

Russell Payne