Zohran Mamdani’s clout, a double Trump endorsement and more on the line in Tuesday’s primaries

2026 ElectionZohran Mamdani’s clout, a double Trump endorsement and more on the line in Tuesday’s primariesThe parties will also set up a handful of key House battleground races as voters in Maryland, New York, South Carolina and Utah pick nominees.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00From left: Brad Lander, Claire Valdez, Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani and Darializa Avila Chevalier in Brooklyn, N.Y., last week. Adam Gray / Bloomberg via Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJune 23, 2026, 5:00 AM EDTBy Ben KamisarJust days after the ticker-tape parade celebrating the New York Knicks’ NBA championship, New Yorkers are gearing up for another major contest: Tuesday’s primaries, featuring several intense battles between Democratic members of Congress and upstart challengers. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Those races, as well as a handful of Democratic House primaries in Maryland and one in Utah, are the latest proving ground in the battle between the different wings in the Democratic Party this year. Progressives are seeking to increase their foothold in Washington, including in a series of races that will test New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s sway among Democrats. And some of the most powerful and well-financed interest groups in politics are spending big in primaries at an inflection point for their issues in Washington.Republicans will have some key races, too — most notably in South Carolina, where the Republican nomination in the open race for governor has gone to a runoff.And both parties are setting up battleground races with primaries across New York, too.Here’s what to watch in Tuesday’s primaries.Millions in crypto, AI, pro-Israel spending flood key primariesTwo House primaries have drawn massive amounts of outside spending from key groups aligned with cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence companies and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. New York’s 12th District...