Nydia Velázquez leaves huge shoes. Who wants to fill them?

As Rep. Nydia Velázquez, the Puerto Rican progressive pioneer nicknamed “La Luchadora” for her willingness to fight for her community, exits her historic 16-term seat, her Thursday retirement announcement leaves a competitive primary in its wake. 

Velázquez’s congressional district, which covers parts of northern Brooklyn and western Queens, is a leftist hotbed, having overwhelmingly voted for Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the primary. This upcoming congressional primary will likely see a wave of progressives – including members of the Democratic Socialists of America – seeking to capitalize off of Mamdani’s momentum. The central question, according to Democratic strategist Trip Yang, will be if Velázquez’s successor is “socialist or a non-socialist progressive.” 

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you La Luchadora,” Mamdani wrote in an X post Thursday, highlighting the historic legacy of Velázquez, the first Puerto Rican to serve in Congress.

Along with the upcoming departure of 78-year-old Rep. Jerry Nadler, which has now resulted in at least 10 democrats competing for his Manhattan congressional seat, the race to represent the 7th Congressional district signifies a generational shift in the Democratic party.

While many are still honoring Velázquez’s storied legacy, some names are already being floated to replace her. 

“It's a huge, large Latino base and a large progressive base. Most people expect it to be a Latino progressive,” Yang said.

Here’s who people are talking about for the coveted seat:

Antonio Reynoso

Brooklyn borough president

The native Brooklynite and borough president has deep ties to Velázquez’s district, making him a likely contender for her seat. Born and raised in the historic Los Sores neighborhood in Williamsburg, which he later represented as District 34 City Council Member, Reynoso easily cruised to victory in both the 2021 and 2025 general elections to secure his borough president seat.       

Following Velázquez’s retirement announcement, Reynoso thanked Velázquez for “setting a new standard of public service, and for leading the fight for Latinos and working families at every level of government” in an X post Thursday night. 

“In and out of Congress: our Luchadora forever. Thank you, Congresswoman,” Reynoso wrote. 

Reynoso is a progressive who has welcomed new developments as a solution to the housing crisis during his time as borough president and has endorsed mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. He’s not a DSA member.

Kristen Gonzalez

District 59 state senator

The state senator representing western Queens, northern Brooklyn, and a portion of Manhattan’s Lower East Side  is one of many of the city’s Latina elected officials who have credited Velázquez as a source of inspiration for their political runs.

“Nydia Velazquez has been an inspiration to me, and for countless young women growing up in New York City who saw themselves reflected in government for this first time. She is a tireless fighter for us, and her legacy will forever change this city,” Gonzalez wrote on X Thursday.

Gonzalez’s mother is Puerto Rican, which could make her a top pick to succeed Vélazquez if the outgoing congressional representative wants to ensure that someone with close ties to Puerto Rico continues to represent the district.    

Gonzalez is a proud DSA member and one of DSA’s State Socialists in Office. With a coveted endorsement from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Gonzalez beat out an experienced incumbent to secure her seat in 2022. She currently serves as chair of the Senate Internet and Technology Committee, and she has spent much of her time in office advocating for tech regulations.

Julia Salazar

District 18 state senator

Salazar’s Brooklyn district sits directly inside Velázquez’s congressional district, centering on Bushwick. She has held the seat since 2018, when she became the first member of DSA to serve in the state Legislature. She is currently one of DSA’s State Socialists in Office.

She received prominent endorsements from the DSA and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and has governed on a progressive platform since taking office, sponsoring bills to increase tenant protections and decriminalize sex work.

Claire Valdez

District 37 Assembly member

A newcomer in Queens’ democratic socialist stronghold, Valdez only joined the Assembly in January 2025. She secured a large margin win in the District 37 race last June, winning on a platform that criticized corporate donors, especially pro-Israel groups, and highlighted her union organizing background.     

Her district – made up of the Maspeth, Ridgewood, Sunnyside, Woodside, and Long Island City neighborhoods – overlaps with much of the Queens portion of Velázquez’s congressional district. 

Valdez is one of DSA’s State Socialists in Office. A person familiar with her thinking said that for now, she’s not planning to run for Congress herself but instead to support another DSA candidate for the seat.

Jennifer Gutiérrez

District 34 City Council member 

Before becoming the first Colombian American to serve in the New York City Council, Gutiérrez managed Velázquez's successful 2016 reelection campaign, making her a potential contender for her former boss’ seat.

Velázquez endorsed Gutiérrez for reelection to the City Council in 2023, marking the two’s close relationship and political alliance. While in the City Council, Gutiérrez has served as the chair of the Committee on Technology, pushing for affordable internet access for her district that spans Bushwick, Greenpoint, Williamsburg and Ridgewood. 

Gutiérrez is progressive, but she’s not a DSA member.    

Sandy Nurse

District 37 City Council member 

After Velázquez announced her retirement, Council Member Nurse praised her for their partnership, as the two both represent Bushwick and parts of northern Brooklyn.  

“She never tried to assert power over me, but always with me, and with my North colleagues. When I asked for backup, she showed up without hesitation,” Nurse wrote in a Friday morning X post, also highlighting Velázquez’s history of representing Puerto Rico. 

Similarly, Nurse has made her Latina identity central to her political identity. During her 2021 City Council campaign, Nurse received an endorsement from Velázquez.

Nurse identifies as a democratic socialist, but she has not been endorsed by DSA.

Lincoln Restler

District 33 City Council member

While Restler represents parts of Velázquez’s district, namely Greenpoint, he stands out in a likely field of Latina and Latino contenders. 

When the City Council member first ran for elected office in the city in 2010, vying to become an Assembly Member for the 50th district, he received an endorsement from Velázquez.

He now represents District 33, and his City Council reelection campaign has been supported by Velázquez as well as the Working Families Party and Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. 

Restler is a progressive, but he’s not a member of DSA.

Tiffany Cabán

District 22 City Council member 

As a fellow Puerto Rican, Council Member Cabán has said that Velázquez opened the door for her to run for public office. 

“She leaves big shoes to fill — but luckily, she inspired a generation to fill them,” Cabán wrote on X Thursday evening.

Cabán’s Queens district overlaps more with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s congressional district than Velázquez’s district, but their shared background and progressive politics makes Caban a possible contender for the seat. Then again, she might just wait until 2028 to try to succeed Ocasio-Cortez when the progressive standard-bearer inevitably runs for either U.S. Senate or president.

Cabán is one of DSA’s City Socialists in Office. 

– With reporting from Peter Sterne