It's the Brian Laris Show on WNYC. Good morning, everyone. Today we begin a series of forums with candidates in competitive congressional primaries in New York.

These are also of interest nationally, mostly because the New York Democratic primaries

reflect tensions in the party and the American people as a whole nationwide.

We begin with a hotly contested primary between two prominent New York Democrats,

Congressman Dan Goldman, the incumbent in the race,

and former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.

This is New York's 10th Congressional District, which is more or less Manhattan, south of 14th Street,

and Brooklyn neighborhoods right across the Brooklyn and Williamsburg Bridges,

including Summerall of Brooklyn Heights, Carol Gardens, Cobble Hill, Windsor Terrace, Sunset Park, Borough Park, Gowanus, and Park Slope.

It's a very Democratic district. The winner of the primary will almost certainly win in November.

These two candidates agree on many things, but differences on Israel have been a big issue in the race

and reflect the changing conversation about military aid and other forms of support that's taking place in the U.S. as a whole and among American Jews. Both candidates are Jewish.

The American Jewish Population Project estimates about a quarter of the electorate in the district is Jewish.

The website, census reporter.org, also in the district is Jewish. The website,

Census Reporter.org, also estimates the district is about 50% white, 20% Asian, 20% Latino,

and 6% black. Another emerging issue in the race is campaign finance, with Congressman Goldman,

who is much wealthier, now matching every dollar

donated to his campaign with the dollar of his own. Brief bios, Dan Goldman was first elected

to Congress in 2022 after serving as General Counsel for the House Democrats in the first

Trump impeachment in 2019. Some of you may remember him on TV for that.

Before that, he was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Brad Lander served one four-year term as Comptroller, ending in 2025, and was in city council

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