News The artist, former cultural worker, and union organizer won a seat in the US House of Representatives by nearly 70 percentage points.

November 4, 2026 — 2 min read

Claire Valdez will represent New York's 7th Congressional District (photo Kara McCurdy Photography, courtesy Claire Valdez for Congress)

Among the historic wave of triumphs for Democrats in yesterday's midterms, New York State Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, an artist, former cultural worker, and union organizer, was elected to represent New York's 7th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.

After a resounding win in the June primary , the 37-year-old Democratic Socialist will represent the so-called " Commie Corridor ," a district encompassing north Brooklyn and western Queens that also overwhelmingly voted for Valdez's endorser, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, last November.…