New York Assemblymember Claire Valdez. (Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)
"When we called this administration fascist last year, we were called hyperbolic. We were called hysterical," she said in recent public remarks.
"We must abolish ICE at the federal level," she asserted, calling it a "militarized terrorist organization that is destroying our country."
Her campaign website makes clear that she is an advocate for "Medicare for All."
NYC MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI SET TO EARN NEARLY $260K, ABOUT 80% MORE THAN HIS PRIOR SALARY
Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., holds a "Musk Steals" protest sign with fellow Democrats as US President Donald Trump speaks during an address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 4, 2025. (WIN MCNAMEE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
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Valdez will compete in a Democratic primary in June for the seat being vacated by Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y.
Velazquez, who currently represents the Empire State's 7th Congressional District, is not seeking re-election in 2026. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso already announced his 2026 primary bid for the House seat last year.
Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democratic-socialist-mamdani-ally-mounts-bid-u-s-house-representatives