Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., said Tuesday’s New York congressional primaries could offer an early indication of how far left the Democratic Party is moving, as voters headed to the polls in several closely watched races backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Polls opened at 6 a.m. and were scheduled to close at 9 p.m., with Democratic voters casting ballots in contests that have drawn national attention due to challenges from candidates aligned with the city’s democratic socialist movement. The races are being viewed as a test of Mamdani’s political influence and the strength of progressive candidates ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Appearing on Newsmax’s “National Report” on Tuesday, Malliotakis said the contests reflect a broader ideological shift within the Democratic Party.

“I think the bottom line here is this is no longer your father or grandfather’s Democrat Party,” Malliotakis said. “You’re seeing them move more and more to the left. Whether these radical insurgents or it’s the mainstream Democrats, so-called mainstream Democrats that are moving more left to the left to satisfy a radical fringe base for self preservation, not because they’re supporting the middle class,” she added.

Malliotakis pointed to the Democratic primary in New York’s 13th Congressional District, where Rep. Adriano Espaillat faces a challenge from Darializa Avila Chevalier, one of several candidates endorsed by Mamdani. She predicted Espaillat would likely prevail but described his challenger as “the most dangerous” candidate in the field.

“This woman is somebody who actually would make Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez look somewhat normal,” Malliotakis said. “She is somebody who supports not only abolishing police, abolishing prisons, completely dismantling ICE. She is somebody who also supports all these radical leftist agenda items that are so incredibly dangerous to not just New York City and the country.”

Malliotakis suggested another race could prove more competitive, citing former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander’s challenge to Rep. Dan Goldman in New York’s 10th Congressional District.

“The one that I think potentially the socialists can grab would be the one against Goldman, because Brad Lander is somebody who not only was a New York City councilman, but he served as New York City comptroller, and then he ran for mayor,” she said. “So he’s got high name recognition.”

Recent polling showed Lander holding a substantial lead over Goldman heading into Election Day, making it one of the most closely watched Democratic primaries in the country.

The congresswoman also criticized comments by Avila Chevalier opposing deportations, including for immigrants convicted of serious crimes.

“What is interesting is not only does she want to abolish the police and jails so our criminals can run rampant, she actually wants to abolish open borders as well. And she doesn’t want to fund our military,” Malliotakis said. “The fact that she would say that rapists and murderers from other countries should be allowed to stay even after being convicted of these crimes is absolutely ludicrous,” she continued.

Malliotakis argued that the outcome of Tuesday’s primaries will provide insight into whether progressive and socialist candidates can expand their influence within the Democratic Party as attention increasingly turns toward the 2026 midterm elections.

“As the only Republican who represents our city in Washington, I will continue to stand with law enforcement,” Malliotakis said. “I’ll continue to stand with deporting criminals and making sure our borders are secure. That makes me very different from the rest of the New York City delegation.”