Micah Lasher wins Democratic primary in New York's 12th Congressional District

Micah Lasher won the Democratic primary to succeed retiring Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY) in New York's 12th Congressional District, receiving 39% of the vote compared to Assemblyman Alex Bores's 35%, with 85% of the votes counted, according to the Associated Press. Lasher faced competition from candidates including Jack Schlossberg and George Conway. The district is heavily Democratic, making Lasher a likely winner in the upcoming November election. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani participated in the primary but did not endorse a candidate. Conway, who received 6.1% of the vote, campaigned on an anti-Trump platform, while Schlossberg garnered 10.8% of the vote. Lasher, a former staffer for Nadler, was supported by the retiring congressman. The candidates generally aligned on issues regarding Israel, with all refusing to label its actions in Gaza as genocide. The primary race was significantly influenced by AI interest group spending, totaling approximately $20 million, with over $8 million directed against Bores due to his AI regulatory work. This primary was noted as the second most expensive House primary on record, following a recent primary in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District.