NEW YORK — New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was notably absent from a list of candidates promoted by Rama Duwaji, the wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in a social media post published Tuesday as voters headed to the polls in Democratic primary elections.

Mayor Mamdani’s wife Rama Duwaji urges New Yorkers to vote for DSA members Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier in NY7 and NY 13

Notably leaves out Brad Lander in NY 10 pic.twitter.com/MwGGF3lgHg

— Craig McCarthy (@createcraig) June 23, 2026

Duwaji encouraged voters to support several progressive candidates, including Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, both backed by allies of the Democratic Socialists of America.

The omission drew attention because Lander has frequently aligned himself with many of the same progressive causes and political constituencies that helped propel Mamdani to City Hall.

Political observers quickly noted that Lander’s name was absent from the graphic despite his efforts to build relationships with the city’s progressive wing.

Among those reacting was Jewish activist Benny Polatseck, who posted a message directed at Lander on X.

“They will never love you,” Polatseck wrote.

The comment reflected criticism from some Jewish voters who argue that Lander’s positions on Israel and outreach to progressive activists have alienated portions of the Jewish community without earning him broader support from the far left.

Poor Brad. No matter how hard he tries, he'll always be a Jew to the Jew Haters. https://t.co/kgr20310vY

— Kalman Yeger (@KalmanYeger) June 23, 2026

CC: @bradlander

They will never love you. https://t.co/IcjIViVPaS

— Benny Polatseck (@BPolatseck) June 23, 2026

Neither Duwaji nor City Hall immediately commented on the omission.

The episode unfolded as voters cast ballots in several closely watched Democratic primaries that have become a test of the growing influence of New York’s progressive movement and its relationship with the Democratic establishment.

Whether Lander’s exclusion was intentional remained unclear, but it quickly became a topic of discussion among political activists and observers on election day.