Dem
47
GOP
53
Former NYC comptroller Brad Lander has launched a primary campaign against Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY). This is not Bernie vs. Hillary part 842. Lander can play the part of Bernie, but Goldman is no Hillary. He is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. He was also the lead counsel in Donald Trump's first impeachment. He can say: "Sure, you hate Trump, but you didn't do anything about it. I actively worked on getting him impeached and tried to get him convicted." For the upscale, well-educated Democrats in his district, that is going to count for a lot.
As soon as Lander got in, another leftist challenger, Alexa Avilés, dropped out. Lander will probably clear the field. Still, it will be an uphill climb for him. Goldman is not only quite progressive himself, as proven by his actions, his words, and how much he hates Trump, he is also the eighth wealthiest member of Congress. If he needs another $1 million for ads or GOTV, he knows who to talk to (Hint: The guy in the mirror). Both Goldman and Lander are Jewish, but Goldman has supported Israel while Lander has criticized it. We suspect that most Jewish voters in the district will go for the guy who is friendly to Israel, not the one who is critical of it. On most other issues, there is not likely to be a lot of daylight between the two, making Israel potentially a key issue. Also, Goldman is an incumbent and voters generally don't kick out incumbents unless there is something wrong with them. Goldman is a pretty good fit for the district. No matter who wins the primary, the seat is safe for the Democrats, as the district is D+32. (V)