Brad Lander, the outgoing New York City comptroller and close ally of Rep. Zohran Mamdani, will challenge two-term Rep. Dan Goldman in the Democratic primary in 2026, injecting a volatile mix of ideology, personality clashes and New York political drama into a district that stretches across Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Lander signaled his run Tuesday in an email to supporters ahead of a formal launch, framing the race as a fight against the Trump administration and touting his record of civil disobedience — including being arrested this fall while protesting ICE operations at 26 Federal Plaza. “It’s time to fight, not fold,” the email declared.

The move sets up a bruising ideological battle with Goldman, a wealthy heir to the Levi Strauss fortune who first won the seat in 2022 after emerging from a crowded field. Goldman has cultivated a profile as a pragmatic institutionalist, a contrast Lander is eager to exploit as the city’s left looks to consolidate its power under mayor-elect Mamdani.

Lander and Mamdani cross-endorsed each other during June’s Democratic mayoral primary, boosting both campaigns under the city’s ranked-choice voting system. But the relationship hasn’t been seamless. Mamdani reportedly grew frustrated with Lander’s attempts to present himself as the “adult in the room” following Mamdani’s victory, which the 34-year-old democratic socialist reportedly saw as condescending.

Still, Mamdani is expected to throw his weight behind Lander, particularly as another far-left challenger — City Council Member Alexa Avilés — has been weighing a run of her own. For progressives, consolidating behind a single candidate is key to defeating Goldman, who retains strong institutional support and formidable campaign resources.

Before committing to a congressional run, Lander had angled for a top position in Mamdani’s incoming City Hall administration. But those hopes dimmed as ideological and stylistic differences between the two men surfaced, pushing Lander toward a federal bid instead.

Now, Lander is positioning himself as the insurgent capable of unseating a well-funded incumbent, a familiar storyline in New York politics, but one with unpredictable outcomes given the fractured progressive landscape.

Goldman, who built national visibility as lead counsel for House Democrats during the first Trump impeachment, has held the 10th District for two terms. His base includes both deep-blue activists and more moderate Manhattanites uneasy with the city’s leftward drift.

The district, however, remains fertile ground for progressive challengers — its boundaries capture neighborhoods like Park Slope and the Lower East Side, where left-leaning candidates have repeatedly gained traction.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)