New York City Comptroller and Progressive Powerbroker Enters Congressional Race, Setting Up Tense Battle with Moderate Democrat Dan Goldman
In a move that is likely to reshape the New York congressional landscape, Brad Lander, the outgoing New York City comptroller and a leading figure in progressive politics, announced on Wednesday that he will run for Congress against moderate pro-Israel Democrat Dan Goldman.
Lander's decision marks a significant escalation of tensions between progressives and moderates within the Democratic Party. With his candidacy, Lander is setting up a direct challenge to Goldman, who has been seen as a formidable opponent by many in the progressive community.
The stakes are high, with the contest for this newly redrawn district drawing in multiple factions within the party. Progressives hope that Lander's entry into the fray will help them build on the momentum of Zohran Mamdani's stunning victory in last year's mayoral election.
Lander himself is a highly experienced politician who has been a fixture of city politics for over a decade, serving as both a councilmember and city comptroller. His announcement was marked by a scathing critique of Goldman's pro-Israel position and wealth, with Lander arguing that the latter should not be able to buy influence in Washington.
The battle lines are likely to be drawn sharply on issues related to Israel, with Lander calling for a cease-fire and criticizing Israel's conduct in the war. In contrast, Goldman has defended the country's right to defend itself against Hamas.
Goldman's campaign has responded by touting his progressive credentials, while also emphasizing his focus on issues such as immigration and family separations. However, Lander is likely to challenge Goldman's claims to represent progressive values, particularly in light of Goldman's own record on issues related to Israel.
The Working Families Party (WFP), an influential progressive third party, has already endorsed Lander, with the organization seeking to consolidate support behind a unified progressive candidacy. The WFP played a key role in last year's mayoral election, helping to coalesce support for Mamdani and ultimately securing his victory.
The contest is likely to be fiercely contested, with Goldman facing not only Lander but also multiple other candidates who have expressed interest in the seat. Despite the challenges ahead, Lander is well-positioned to mount a strong challenge to Goldman, thanks to his deep experience and broad-based support within the progressive community.
As one WFP official noted, "Our role is to make sure that we organize the progressives to be as strategic and united as possible." The stakes are high, with this contest likely to determine the future direction of the party in New York.
In a move that is likely to reshape the New York congressional landscape, Brad Lander, the outgoing New York City comptroller and a leading figure in progressive politics, announced on Wednesday that he will run for Congress against moderate pro-Israel Democrat Dan Goldman.
Lander's decision marks a significant escalation of tensions between progressives and moderates within the Democratic Party. With his candidacy, Lander is setting up a direct challenge to Goldman, who has been seen as a formidable opponent by many in the progressive community.
The stakes are high, with the contest for this newly redrawn district drawing in multiple factions within the party. Progressives hope that Lander's entry into the fray will help them build on the momentum of Zohran Mamdani's stunning victory in last year's mayoral election.
Lander himself is a highly experienced politician who has been a fixture of city politics for over a decade, serving as both a councilmember and city comptroller. His announcement was marked by a scathing critique of Goldman's pro-Israel position and wealth, with Lander arguing that the latter should not be able to buy influence in Washington.
The battle lines are likely to be drawn sharply on issues related to Israel, with Lander calling for a cease-fire and criticizing Israel's conduct in the war. In contrast, Goldman has defended the country's right to defend itself against Hamas.
Goldman's campaign has responded by touting his progressive credentials, while also emphasizing his focus on issues such as immigration and family separations. However, Lander is likely to challenge Goldman's claims to represent progressive values, particularly in light of Goldman's own record on issues related to Israel.
The Working Families Party (WFP), an influential progressive third party, has already endorsed Lander, with the organization seeking to consolidate support behind a unified progressive candidacy. The WFP played a key role in last year's mayoral election, helping to coalesce support for Mamdani and ultimately securing his victory.
The contest is likely to be fiercely contested, with Goldman facing not only Lander but also multiple other candidates who have expressed interest in the seat. Despite the challenges ahead, Lander is well-positioned to mount a strong challenge to Goldman, thanks to his deep experience and broad-based support within the progressive community.
As one WFP official noted, "Our role is to make sure that we organize the progressives to be as strategic and united as possible." The stakes are high, with this contest likely to determine the future direction of the party in New York.
... just kidding kinda 
. Seriously though, I think it's cool that Brad Lander is throwing his hat into the ring and challenging Dan Goldman for the seat. As someone who's into DIY projects and making things with my own hands, I appreciate a good underdog story 
.
. And let's be real, we all know that money can't buy influence, right? 
So if Goldman's pro-Israel stance is really the issue for some voters, I think Lander's call for a cease-fire might resonate with people who are looking for a more... shall we say, peaceful 
solution.
. One thing's for sure, though: I'll be keeping an eye on this election from start to finish 
.
. It's been a while since we've seen anyone truly challenge the status quo in NY politics, so this could be interesting. Goldman's pro-Israel stance is definitely a point of contention for many progressives, and I'm hoping Lander will be able to effectively call him out on it 
. The WFP endorsement is a big boost for Lander, but we'll have to wait and see if he can sustain that momentum throughout the campaign 
Lander vs Goldman is gonna be like a Brooklyn hipster bar fight – only with more money and less craft beer 
️. I'm kinda excited to see how this plays out, but also kinda worried that the party's gonna split itself into a million factions 
. Can we just get a good ol' fashioned NYC-style primary where everyone throws punches? 
the battle lines are already being drawn and I'm hyped to see how it all plays out 
. I'm like "who's Brad Lander?" 
anyway, I guess he's a progressive powerbroker and all that jazz 
. I don't really know much about politics but it seems like there's gonna be a big battle between him and Dan Goldman... or something. 
did they ever meet before this? 
. I mean, isn't that just, like, super confusing? 
are there going to be multiple congress people from New York now? 
will they have meetings together and stuff? 
. On one hand, you've got a progressive powerhouse like Lander who's been making waves in city politics for years 
.
.
. Will it get messy? Absolutely 
! I'm low-key excited to see how this whole thing plays out, especially since Lander's been quietly building up his team and momentum for ages 
. Goldman's got some heavy baggage on those pro-Israel issues, if you ask me... like, shouldn't we be focusing on unity over "winning" the fight? 
Plus, I'm all about supporting that cease-fire 
[www.vox.com](http://www.vox.com/2025/02/27/22111110/brad-lander-congressional-campaign-new-york)
WFP endorsing him is like the icing on the cake, they're really gonna make sure the progressives are united 
but at the same time, goldman has been trying to position himself as a progressive, so we'll see who can convince more ppl with their message 
Can you imagine a more polarising primary? I'm worried about what's at stake here - it feels like the progressive wing is going to come out on top and moderate voices are getting squeezed out 
.
. Lander's experience and progressive track record make him a force to be reckoned with in this race.
. I mean, who needs a cease-fire when you've got a comptroller with some serious grudges against pro-Israel voters? 
Goldman's gonna need more than just his progressive cred to win this one 
i mean, let's be real, that guy is a major sellout. Lander's announcement was so on point too, with him calling out Goldman for using his wealth to influence policy