Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Sen. Bernie Sanders rallied with New York progressives Thursday night, urging supporters to turn out for a slate of left-wing congressional candidates ahead of the June 23 Democratic primaries.
The event, titled “Our Year, Our Team,” drew a packed crowd to Kings Theatre in Flatbush. Mamdani and Sanders used the rally to frame the upcoming races as part of a broader political movement aimed at reshaping the Democratic Party and challenging what they described as the influence of wealthy donors, corporate interests and establishment politics.
The candidates backed at the event included former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is running in the 10th Congressional District; Democratic socialist state Assembly Member Claire Valdez, who is seeking the 7th District seat; and Darializa Avila Chevalier, who is running in the 13th District.
“The Democratic Party must change. The party of the past will not be what leads us into the future, for we need a Democratic Party with a backbone,” Mamdani told the crowd.
Mamdani, wearing a New York Knicks jersey under his suit jacket just hours after the team’s championship parade through the Canyon of Heroes, called on supporters to bring the same energy to the congressional races that they brought to his own election win in November.
“Our work has never been about any one person or any one office or any one election,” Mamdani said. “Our work has been about a movement. A movement to turn the page on the politics of big money and small ideas.”
He said the goal was to “usher in a new era” for the city and make government work for “every single New Yorker, not just the wealthy and the well-connected.”
Sanders, who was born in Flatbush, pointed to recent progressive victories around the country and argued that New York should be part of that same push.
“In the last eight months, progressive, democratic socialist candidates all over this country have been winning major victories,” Sanders told the audience.
He said those wins were happening because working-class Americans believe the economy is tilted against them.
“Why are progressives and socialist candidates winning elections all across this country? The working class of America understands that our current economic system is rigged,” Sanders said.
He argued that the system benefits the wealthy and powerful while leaving families struggling with basic costs, including food.
Valdez, Chevalier and Lander each addressed the crowd during the get-out-the-vote rally, which was emceed by comedian Ilana Glazer and included a performance by Sara Bareilles.
Valdez, who is running to represent parts of Brooklyn and Queens, received Mamdani’s support over Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, the preferred candidate of retiring Rep. Nydia Velázquez.
“Solidarity does not stop at our borders,” Valdez said.
She also criticized the influence of defense interests and billionaires, telling supporters that working people have more power when they act together.
“The war machine and the billionaire class are not separate people; they are the same,” Valdez said. “But they are not as powerful as they think because when working people come together, they can move mountains.”
Lander, who is challenging Rep. Dan Goldman, also took aim at establishment Democrats and wealthy political donors.
“We’ve had it with corporate Democrats who don’t know what time it is,” Lander said.
“This is not the time for strongly worded letters, or high-dollar fundraisers, or elections bought by billionaires, or crypto bros, or AI oligarchs,” he added. “It’s time for politics of solidarity.”
