What Democrats want: New York congressional race showcases fight over party’s future

When news broke that a safely Democratic seat in New York’s wealthiest congressional district was becoming vacant, it was inevitable that there would be a crowded field of candidates. What people might not have expected is that the subsequent Democratic primary, would become one of the country’s most closely watched and action-packed, the race coming to reflect a range of Democrats’ national political priorities: who is the strongest against Trump; who is the most critical of artificial intelligence companies; and who is, basically, the coolest. Withdays left before the primary closes – early voting began on 13 June – the contest has narrowed to four white men, but it remains unclear which of them is ticking the most boxes. Voters in Manhattan’s 12th districthave been inundated with loud promises to imprison Donald Trump and to rein in AI companies, and bombarded by one candidate’s attempt to portray himself as a sort of early 80s-era tough guy, and another’s thirst-trap Instagram presence. Polling in the district, a sprawling area of Manhattan which encompasses the Seinfeld territory of the Upper West Side, the old-money grandeur of the Upper East Side, and the uber-expensive apartments south of Central Park which make up Billionaires’ Row, has been volatile. …