Brad Lander, the soon-to-be-former city comptroller, is throwing his name into the ring for Congress, aiming to knock off Rep. Dan Goldman in Manhattan’s 10th District.
Here’s the quick rundown: Lander, a staunch progressive and ally of Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, is launching a campaign to unseat Goldman, a two-term Democrat representing parts of Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, while whispers of other far-left challengers loom on the horizon, as the New York Post reports.
First things first, Lander’s team fired off an email to supporters on Tuesday, signaling his intent to challenge Goldman, who’s been in office since winning a packed primary in 2022.
“It’s time to fight, not fold,” declared the Brad Lander for Congress email, as obtained by the Post, setting a combative tone right out of the gate.
That’s a nice rallying cry, but let’s be real -- fighting for progressive causes often means doubling down on policies many hardworking New Yorkers see as out of touch with their daily struggles.
Lander didn’t stop at catchy slogans. His email also touted his arrest at 26 Federal Plaza in September for allegedly obstructing ICE operations, a move that might thrill the activist crowd but raises eyebrows among those who value law and order.
The official campaign rollout is set for Wednesday evening, where Lander will likely lean on his past as a Brooklyn councilman to paint himself as a seasoned leader ready for Congress.
He’s got a key ally in Mamdani, with whom he shared a cross-endorsement during the Democratic Party mayoral primary in June, a strategic move to bolster their standings in the ranked-choice voting system.
Yet, sources say their bromance isn’t all rosy. Mamdani, a 34-year-old socialist, has reportedly grown frustrated with Lander for playing the “mature figure” while allegedly failing to live up to the good-government image he projects.
That tension might not derail Mamdani’s expected support for Lander’s bid, but it’s a crack in the armor that could spell trouble if far-left challengers, possibly including City Council Member Alexa Aviles, jump into the race next year.
Aviles, a Democratic Socialist of America member and comrade of the mayor-elect, is reportedly mulling a run against Goldman, which could split the progressive vote and turn this into a real slugfest.
Meanwhile, Goldman, heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, isn’t exactly a pushover. His 2022 victory in a crowded primary showed he knows how to navigate a tough fight.
For Lander, this congressional run comes after speculation he might snag a top spot in the incoming City Hall administration, a path he’s now seemingly abandoned for a shot at Washington.
But here’s the rub. While Lander and potential challengers like Aviles push a hard-left agenda, many in the 10th District -- spanning diverse neighborhoods in Manhattan and Brooklyn -- might wonder if their focus on ideological battles addresses the bread-and-butter issues like crime and cost of living.
This race is shaping up to be a microcosm of the broader Democratic Party struggle -- will voters back Goldman’s more centrist approach, or will they swing toward Lander’s progressive zeal, even as his alliances and past actions invite scrutiny? It’s a question worth watching as this contest unfolds.
