Money talks — even to a socialist.
The anti-business, Mamdani-backed candidate in New York’s 7th congressional district says she will now gladly accept the support from deep-pocketed superPACs — abandoning her outspoken ideals in exchange for a shot at the House seat.
Democratic socialist state Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, who has repeatedly sworn off support from special interest groups in her bids for office, offered up a rambling non-answer on her financial flip-flop before conceding that a potential path to victory outweighs her prior stance.
“The fact of the matter is, we have a campaign that we need to win,” Valdez finally blurted out after being pressed by the pair of other hopefuls, Councilmember Julie Won and Brooklyn Borough President Antonion Reynoso, during the NY1 debate Wednesday night.
The fledgeing assemblywoman emphatically rejected the support from any political action committee just three months ago and has campaigned on small donor support.
“No superPACs. No. No. Thank you,” she said during a March 10 forum.
But since then, Valdez’s campaign quietly started providing outside supporters with some guidance on how to back the candidate, which was first spotted by Politico.
The practice — which is called “red-boxing,” a questionable workaround of campaign laws making coordination between a candidate and a PAC illegal — puts the helpful directions in an actual red box on the campaign website.
And on Tuesday, a new superPAC, which is being bankrolled by pro-Palestinian donors who also helped funnel money into pro-Mamdani groups, said it was spending $2 million to help elect Claire Valdez, as well as Darializa Avila Chevalier in the NY-13 primary and Brad Lander in the NY-10 race.
All three have been endorsed by Mamdani, too.
One of the top donors to the PAC is an anti-Israel, Texas businessman who has funded far-left and far-right candidates, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, in his pattern of anti-American Israel Public Affairs Committee spending.
Won first cornered Valdez on the dark money during the debate Wednesday.
“Could you help me understand?” Won said, bringing up her pledge from back in March. “How are you going to go on to end Citizens United?”
Valdez justified her U-turn by pointing the finger at other groups’ spending.
“Right now, AIPAC, crypto and AI is spending millions and millions of dollars trying to influence election 2026,” Valdez said.
“I would never accept money from PACs, fossil fuel PACs, the real estate industry,” she continued, moving the goal posts on her stance.
The 7th congressional district includes parts of north Brooklyn and western Queens. It’s currently represented by Rep. Nydia Velázquez, who is not seeking another term.
