Will Republicans ever make inroads in NYC?

Despite all the political alarms resounding from last month’s primary upsets by left-wing Democrats running for Congress, the Republicans have yet to organize a competitive response.

Consider three districts where favored Democrats lost to candidates backed by democratic socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The GOP is putting up opponents — but none of them seem to have much of a chance or are getting serious party commitments.

Manual “Jomo” Williams is set to oppose Darializa Avila Chevalier, the unabashed radical who defeated Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the Bronx-Manhattan CD13. He’s unusual for a GOP candidate; he ran in 2021 on an ad hoc Black Lives Matter party line for City Council on Manhattan’s Upper West Side but supported funding police.

In Brooklyn-Manhattan CD10, former Comptroller Brad Lander effectively unseated Rep. Dan Goldman. Jennifer Moore, the first-time Republican candidate, a seasoned political operative and campaign manager in the district, has said she’s out to offset the Democrats’ leftward march. She’s also on the Conservative line.

And in Brooklyn-Queens CD7, Melvin Rivera, a tenant activist and community organizer, has the GOP nod to take on Assemb. Claire Valdez, endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America.

Devoting campaign resources and recruiting experienced candidates to take on districts currently dominated by the other party always gives party political leaders pause. On Long Island, there are Democrats who want to see the national party prioritize nominee Christopher Gallant’s run against MAGA-loyal Rep. Nick LaLota.

But it’s widely believed that unless there’s a change in polling numbers or a seismic shift against the GOP, Gallant will face an uphill fight.

The controlled process of party selection makes sense in a polarized two-party cold war where blue and red “turf” shape the playing field. But it often serves up candidates carrying prescribed national-party messaging and slogans. For both parties, it seems that running mavericks with independent stances becomes too risky, giving way to lockstep positions.

President Donald Trump always seems to intervene these days in local races on behalf of his interests rather than the party he controls. When Lander beat Goldman, his reaction was not geared to pointing the way to restoring New York’s Republican Party and making an effort to win the seat in the general election.

“Weak and pathetic Congressman Dan Goldman just lost, BIG!” he posted online. “I guess people didn’t like him illegally targeting President TRUMP.”

“Nyah nyah nyah” is no strategy for the future. A lot is at stake in city races. Of 12.5 million New York State voters, more than 5.1 million reside in the city.

When Republicans won New York in the past, it was by galvanizing independent voters and dissident Democrats. “Conservative Democrats” were a real force long ago, as were “liberal Republicans,” even if those blocs didn’t have the partisan upper hand.

Last year, when Mamdani was ascendant, Trump and his party largely abandoned GOP mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa. Rather than try to buttress Sliwa, members of the party’s establishment tried to get him to drop out in favor of Democrat Andrew Cuomo — which failed embarrassingly.

After coming within 6.4 points of beating Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2022 (she won 53.2% to 46.8%), Rep. Lee Zeldin, now EPA administrator, urged state Republicans to build a city base. Did anyone hear him?

So far, the New York Republicans remain in the wilderness — just like the national Democrats.

Columnist Dan Janison’s opinions are his own.

By Dan Janison

dan.janison@newsday.comDanJanison

Dan Janison is a member of the Newsday editorial board.