In N.Y. Assembly Primaries, Incumbency Outweighs Political Differences

Across New York, a slew of Democratic primaries for State Assembly on Tuesday were expected to extend the battle lines between moderate and progressive Democrats over the direction of the party, a fight that has been raging since 2018.

Instead, the prevailing factor seemed to be the power of incumbency. From Brooklyn to Buffalo, only one sitting Assembly member lost a primary on Tuesday: Juan Ardila, who resisted calls to resign after accusations of sexual misconduct resurfaced last year, finished a distant third in Queens.

In one of the most-watched races, Assemblywoman Stefani Zinerman defeated Eon Huntley, who was supported by the Democratic Socialists of America. Ms. Zinerman, who represents the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn, had the support of two of the biggest Democratic names in the state, Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, and Letitia James, the New York State attorney general.

In the Hudson Valley, Didi Barrett, a six-term assemblywoman, turned back a challenge from Claire Cousin, 31, who was backed by the Working Families Party.

And in the Bronx, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, who leads the Education Committee, beat back a democratic socialist, Jonathan Soto, a former organizer for Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, for a second time.

“I’m hoping this evening has taught the D.S.A. a lesson,” Ms. Zinerman said in an interview after her victory speech. “They could have a meaningful relationship with Democrats if they stopped running against us. They don’t want to build, they want to win.”