The progressive Working Families Party on Monday endorsed Antonio Reynoso in the hotly-contested Democratic primary in New York’s 7th Congressional district.
In one of New York City’s most left-leaning districts, Reynoso is running against Assembly Member Claire Valdez and Council Member Julie Won — both from Queens — to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who is retiring this year after three decades in Congress.
“These are unprecedented times and Antonio is the best candidate to fight for working families in Washington D.C. and build a movement strong enough to defeat the forces of authoritarianism,” said WFP state director Jasmine Gripper, in a statement.
Reynoso is “deeply trusted by our movement,” Gripper added.
Reynoso chairing a City Council hearing in 2018. The Borough President has been endorsed by WFP several times since the start of his political career. Photo courtesy of John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit
He was first endorsed by the WFP while running for City Council in 2013, and has enjoyed the party’s support for his subsequent re-election campaign and election and re-election for Borough President.
“Since my time as an organizer and from the beginning of my time in public office, we have worked together on critical issues for working families in this city like affordable housing, universal childcare and supporting our immigrant communities,” Reynoso said in a statement. “Together, we will take our fight to Washington, stand up for Brooklyn and Queens, hold the line against Donald Trump and deliver real wins for the working class.”
Reynoso is endorsed by Velázquez herself and by a number of progressive politicians, including Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Brooklyn City Council members Lincoln Restler, Sandy Nurse, Crystal Hudson, and Jennifer Gutiérrez.
The Working Families Party is fairly influential in Brooklyn — many of the borough’s progressive pols have run on both the Democratic and WFP lines and enjoyed significant support from WFP voters — and the endorsement is likely to be a boon for his campaign.
It also marked a split between the Working Families Party and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and between progressive Democrats in New York City. The WFP endorsed Mamdani for mayor and helped propel him to victory, and he has said he voted for himself on the WFP line, not the Democratic party line.
Mamdani (bottom left) poses with Velázquez (second row, second from right) and Working Families Party voters in Clinton Hill on Election Day 2025. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
But the mayor has endorsed Valdez, a fellow member of the Democratic Socialists of America, in NY-7.
Mamdani urged WFP leaders to support Valdez, according to the New York Times and Politico, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Some of the party’s individual members were reportedly in favor of endorsing Valdez, but many of the unions and advocacy groups involved in the party pushed for Reynoso.
Asked about the endorsement at an unrelated press conference on Tuesday, Mamdani said he was “heartened by the fact that WFP chapter members voted for Claire Valdez.”
“She is an incredible Assembly member and someone I’m so excited to be supporting, and I look forward to her being elected as the next congressperson to represent that district,” he said. “I think that she possesses within her a unique ability of bringing forward the exact things that have been missing from our politics for far too long.”
Assembly Member Claire Valdez of Queens, who is endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. File photo courtesy of Assembly Member Claire Valdez/X
Though the WFP and Mamdani are in agreement on some candidates in races across the city, the party opted to endorse Brian Romero in the race for Queens Assembly District 34, where Mamdani and the DSA had thrown their support behind Aber Kawas. Kawas has since ended her Assembly campaign and will instead run for state Senate.
Restler, who endorsed Reynoso immediately after his campaign was launched, told Brooklyn Paper last month that the mayor’s endorsements had created some friction.
“There have been some early bumps with how the mayor and his team have approached endorsements in different races,” he said. “But I hope that that doesn’t overshadow the critical work of governing and delivering for our shared constituents.”
Velázquez — who strongly supported Mamdani as a mayoral candidate — has criticized the mayor for taking a stance on the primary.
Velázquez (center left) with Reynoso at a campaign rally last month. Photo courtesy of Antonio Reynoso for Congress
In January, she told the New York Times that she hadn’t originally intended to endorse any one candidate, but felt moved to do so after learning that Mamdani would throw his weight behind Valdez. She said at the time that Reynoso “is the only one in this race who has actually governed and delivered for this community.”
Gripper, the WFP director, said Reynoso is capable of filling Velazquez’s shoes.
“Antonio Reynoso will unequivocally be able to carry on her legacy of championing working families,” she said. “The New York Working Families Party is ready to send Antonio Reynoso to Congress.”