The assault ads raised his profile considerably, turning him into a recognizable figure
On a June primary day in New York, voters are quietly rendering a verdict not only on a crowded field of candidates but on the nature of political power itself — whether it still flows from institutional loyalty and neighborhood roots, or whether it has migrated toward celebrity, media spectacle, and ideological performance. Mayor Zohran Mamdani, only six months into office, watches alongside the city, his own influence hanging in the balance. Meanwhile, in Utah, a different question surfaces: how far a presidential pardon can carry a man through the democratic process.
- Jerry Nadler's retirement cracked open one of New York's safest Democratic seats, and the resulting scramble has drawn a field so crowded and high-profile that the race itself has become a referendum on what Democratic voters actually want.
- A pro-AI lobby poured millions into attack ads targeting Alex Bores — and may have backfired spectacularly, turning an assemblymember into a household name across the district.
- Jack Schlossberg's Kennedy name and George Conway's Trump-era notoriety are competing against Micah Lasher's deep institutional roots and Nadler's personal endorsement, with no clear frontrunner emerging.
- Mayor Mamdani's political reach remains unproven at scale, and tonight's results will offer the first real signal of whether his influence extends beyond his own electoral coalition.
- In Utah, Phil Lyman — pardoned by Trump for a federal lands protest — is testing whether executive clemency has become a viable launchpad for congressional ambitions, with a general election seat potentially within reach if he clears today's primary.
New York's primary elections today arrive as the first genuine stress test of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's political influence, just half a year into his tenure. The race commanding the most attention is the contest to succeed Jerry Nadler in the 12th District — a reliably Democratic stretch of Manhattan that has drawn an unusually prominent and competitive field.
Nadler's retirement last fall set off a wave of ambition. Micah Lasher, a state assemblymember and longtime Nadler aide, entered as the institutional favorite, carrying the retiring congressman's endorsement and a deep ground game. But the field around him is formidable. Alex Bores, a former Palantir employee turned tech-skeptic legislator, found his campaign unexpectedly boosted when a pro-AI lobby spent millions attacking him — the assault ads raising his profile far beyond what his own resources could have achieved. Jack Schlossberg, JFK's grandson, has campaigned as a generational progressive with an unconventional social media presence that has earned him both devoted followers and sharp critics.
George Conway, who became a national figure through his relentless public criticism of Donald Trump while his then-wife Kellyanne Conway served in the White House, has formally joined the Democratic Party and is running on a platform of sustained anti-Trump opposition. Nina Schwalbe, a public health expert with genuine New York roots, has struggled to break through against rivals who command far greater name recognition.
The evening's results will speak to something larger than any individual candidate — whether traditional endorsements and organizing still anchor Democratic primaries, or whether celebrity and media gravity have become the decisive forces. Mamdani's ability to shape the outcome remains an open question.
In Utah, a quieter but equally revealing primary is unfolding. Phil Lyman, pardoned by President Trump after a federal conviction stemming from a protest ride through a closed federal canyon, is challenging incumbent Representative Celeste Maloy. Having lost a gubernatorial primary by eight points in 2024, Lyman now eyes a congressional seat — and a potential general election in favorable territory. His candidacy raises a question that extends well beyond Utah: whether a presidential pardon has become not just a legal remedy, but a political credential.
New York voters head to the polls today in a primary election that will offer the first real measure of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's political reach just six months into his tenure. The race drawing the most attention is the scramble to fill Jerry Nadler's seat in the 12th District—a safe Democratic stronghold spanning the Upper West Side and Upper East Side that has attracted an unusually crowded and high-profile field of candidates.
When Nadler announced his retirement last fall, it triggered a rush of ambition. Micah Lasher, a state assemblymember and longtime aide to Nadler, has positioned himself as the natural successor, leaning heavily on his deep roots in the district and a traditional ground game. He carries Nadler's endorsement, a significant advantage in a race where name recognition and institutional support matter. But Lasher is far from running unopposed.
Alex Bores, a state assemblymember and former Palantir employee, built his campaign around warnings about artificial intelligence and big tech regulation. His industry background and calls for oversight made him an obvious target for a newly mobilized pro-AI lobby, which spent millions attacking him on television. The irony worked in his favor: the assault ads raised his profile considerably, turning him into a recognizable figure in a crowded field. Jack Schlossberg, grandson of President John F. Kennedy, entered the race as a generational progressive, appealing to younger Democrats hungry for change. His unorthodox social media presence and freewheeling style have drawn both supporters and detractors. George Conway, the lawyer who rose to national prominence as a vocal Trump critic during the first administration—and as the then-husband of White House aide Kellyanne Conway—has formally switched parties and is running as a Democrat, centering his campaign on sustained opposition to Trump and conservative politics. Nina Schwalbe, a public health researcher and policy expert with deep New York roots, has struggled to gain traction against rivals with far greater name recognition.
The race is a test of whether traditional endorsements and grassroots organizing still carry weight in a primary, or whether celebrity, media attention, and ideological positioning have become the dominant forces. Mamdani's influence over the outcome—and what it might signal about his power as a new mayor—remains an open question heading into the evening.
Elsewhere, Utah Republicans are watching a different kind of primary unfold. Phil Lyman, a former state representative whom President Trump pardoned in 2020 for illegally riding an all-terrain vehicle through a closed federal canyon as part of a protest against the Bureau of Land Management, is challenging Rep. Celeste Maloy in a Republican primary. Lyman lost a gubernatorial primary to Gov. Spencer Cox by eight points in 2024, but a primary win today would position him as a heavy favorite in the general election. His candidacy underscores the continuing influence of presidential clemency in shaping electoral politics—and the willingness of voters to support candidates whose legal troubles were erased by executive action.
Notable Quotes
Micah Lasher positioned himself as the heir apparent to the venerable outgoing congressman, running with Nadler's endorsement— Campaign positioning
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
What makes this New York primary significant beyond just filling a seat?
It's the first real test of Mamdani's political capital as mayor. Six months in, does he have the ability to move voters? The 12th District is safe Democratic territory, so whoever wins the primary almost certainly wins the general. That makes today's outcome a referendum on his influence.
Why is the field so crowded for what should be a straightforward succession?
Nadler held that seat for decades. It's one of the safest Democratic districts in the country. When he retired, it opened up a seat that doesn't come available often. Everyone with ambition and resources saw an opportunity.
Bores seems like an obvious frontrunner—tech expertise, regulation message. Why is he struggling?
He's not necessarily struggling. The pro-AI lobby spent millions attacking him, which sounds like a liability until you realize it made him famous. In a crowded primary, visibility matters. But he's competing against a Kennedy and a Trump critic and Nadler's own chosen successor. That's a lot of gravitational pull.
What does Conway's candidacy say about the Democratic Party right now?
It says Trump opposition is a legitimate organizing principle for some voters. Conway built a national profile on being the anti-Trump Republican. Now he's betting that identity is stronger than party affiliation. Whether that works tells you something about what Democrats actually want.
And the Utah race—is that really about the pardon?
It's about whether voters will support someone Trump saved from legal consequences. Lyman lost a statewide race two years ago. Now he's back, and if he wins today, he's almost certainly going to Congress. That's a remarkable trajectory for someone who was recently a political loser.