Claire Valdez
Member of the New York State Assembly, 37th District (2025–present)
Primary Election
Open seat in NY-07 draws four progressive primary challengers
The 2026 Democratic primary for New York's 7th congressional district is an open-seat race featuring four candidates: Vichal Kumar, Antonio Reynoso, Claire Valdez, and Julie Won. Claire Valdez leads in fundraising with over $1.3 million raised, followed by Antonio Reynoso and Julie Won, while Vichal Kumar trails significantly. The candidates share progressive stances on many issues but diverge on foreign policy and other topics, making the contest competitive.
Claire Valdez
Member of the New York State Assembly, 37th District (2025–present)
Antonio Reynoso
Brooklyn Borough President (current)
Julie Won
Member of the New York City Council for District 26 (2022–present)
Vichal Kumar
Public defender
▸ Your ballot — US Representative - District 7
Fill in one oval. Change it anytime.
Healthcare
Candidates Kumar, Reynoso, and Valdez all support Medicare for All, framing healthcare as a fundamental right and criticizing the current system for leaving people uninsured or underinsured.
Claire Valdez
Valdez supports Medicare for All, pledging to sponsor it on Day One. She argues that health insurance corporations profit while people are uninsured or underinsured, and that healthcare is a human right.
Antonio Reynoso
Reynoso delivered $45 million for Black maternal health and supports Medicare for All to guarantee healthcare as a right, regardless of income, job, or zip code.
Julie Won
Julie Won supports universal healthcare for all, stating that nobody should go bankrupt because they got sick, ration insulin, or skip a doctor's visit due to cost. She criticizes the current health insurance system as a maze of paperwork, denials, and costs designed to discourage care.
Housing
Kumar aims to protect families from losing their homes; Reynoso advocates for repealing the Faircloth Amendment and investing in public housing; Valdez supports universal rent control and tenant power, noting that 77% of NY-7 residents are tenants.
Claire Valdez
Valdez advocates for universal rent control, public investment in housing supply, the right to a safe home, and tenant power with landlord accountability. She notes 77% of NY-7 residents are tenants and she would be a tenant member of Congress.
Antonio Reynoso
Reynoso advocates for repealing the Faircloth Amendment, investing in public housing at scale, and ensuring working people can afford to stay in their communities. He has fought for more affordable housing in every neighborhood.
Vichal Kumar
Kumar aims to protect families from losing their homes and make stable housing possible for every generation.
Immigration
Kumar, Reynoso, and Valdez all support dismantling ICE and protecting immigrant families, with Reynoso highlighting his work ending NYPD coordination with ICE and Valdez also calling for demilitarizing the border and addressing root causes of migration.
Claire Valdez
Valdez calls for abolishing and dismantling ICE, ending for-profit detention, demilitarizing the border, and prosecuting ICE agents who break the law. She supports a path to lawful permanent residence, the DREAM Act, expanding immigration judges, and protecting immigrant workers' right to organize. She also addresses root causes of migration such as U.S. intervention, climate change, and trade policy.
Antonio Reynoso
Antonio Reynoso ended NYPD coordination with ICE on Rikers Island and helped immigrants access work permits and legal support. He supports abolishing ICE and using all available tools to protect immigrant families.
Vichal Kumar
Vichal Kumar advocates for dismantling ICE, stopping the expansion of detention centers, and halting the deportation machine. He supports immigration policies that prioritize protecting families and communities, restoring due process, and creating permanent pathways for those seeking to fulfill their dreams in the U.S.
Cycle-to-date · FEC — figures change as new reports are filed.
Researched & verified Jun 22, 2026. Compiled from verified public sources; claims that failed verification are excluded.