New York state Assemblymember Claire Valdez, an ally of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, has mounted a bid for the U.S. House of Representatives.

“I’m a union organizer, Assemblymember, and democratic socialist running for Congress in NY-07. I came to politics through low-wage jobs and the labor movement. That’s the perspective I’ll bring to Washington to take on oligarchy, fascism, and war — and win for working people,” she wrote in a post on X.

Valdez has called for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

‘THE PEOPLE’S QUR’AN’: MAMDANI ANNOUNCES NYC QURAN EXHIBIT WITH BOOK BELONGING TO REVOLUTIONARY ACTIVIST

“When we called this administration fascist last year, we were called hyperbolic. We were called hysterical,” she said in recent public remarks. 

“We must abolish ICE at the federal level,” she asserted, calling it a “militarized terrorist organization that is destroying our country.”

Her campaign website makes clear that she is an advocate for “Medicare for All.”

NYC MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI SET TO EARN NEARLY $260K, ABOUT 80% MORE THAN HIS PRIOR SALARY

“Claire will fight to pass Medicare for All, paid for by taxing billionaires and corporations that have rigged the system, and deliver universal health care for every New Yorker,” the site notes.

“Housing is a human right — but Congress has chosen to side with landlords and speculators instead of working people. Claire will fight to guarantee safe, affordable housing for all, because housing is not a commodity. It’s a necessity,” the site also states.

NOEM REPORTS MAMDANI-DHS TALKS HAVE ‘NOT BEEN PRODUCTIVE,’ SAYS NYC MAYOR ‘CHOSE TO STAND WITH ILLEGALS’

Valdez will compete in a Democratic primary in June for the seat being vacated by Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y.

Velazquez, who currently represents the Empire State’s 7th Congressional District, is not seeking re-election in 2026. Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso already announced his 2026 primary bid for the House seat last year.

Digennaro’s wife, Judy, shook her head in disagreement.

“I feel quite the other way,” said Judy Digennaro, 72. “It might start rifts, but what’s most important is people talking, and that’s what the pope is trying to do.”

During a news conference with Vatican reporters in December, the pope called for dialogue between the United States and Venezuela. On Friday, he said violence had replaced dialogue as a means of resolving conflict and reiterated an earlier call to “respect the will of the Venezuelan people, and to safeguard the human and civil rights of all, ensuring a future of stability and concord.”

Some local Catholics said the remarks felt like an overstep. David Digennaro said he supports the Trump administration’s move to shift Venezuela’s leadership away from Maduro and would prefer the pope to limit his comments to humanitarian issues.

“If he’s talking about the people that live [in Venezuela,] that’s fine,” he said. “But if he’s referencing Maduro, that’s politics, and I’d turn away from it.”

Outside St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine in Back Bay, parishioners in crisp suits and colorful dresses filed out onto the sidewalk after Mass on Sunday afternoon. Several people said the pope’s address had not been mentioned during the service and praised the clergy for keeping the news separate from religious teaching.

Others voiced support for Pope Leo’s broader message of peace and dialogue but said they prefer that the pontiff avoid specifics.

Jordan Williamson, 35, of Quincy, said the pope is not the authority on international affairs. She said she looks to politicians for details about global conflicts and to Leo for moral guidance.

“The pope should be a moral voice that lays down the framework for why we do things,” said Williamson, who has attended the Boylston Street church for more than a decade. “But we all have jobs … and Mass is meant to transcend all of that.”

Williamson’s friend, Sandra Pastrana of Arlington, agreed, saying she often steers her Bible study group away from political debate. Still, she said she recognizes that there are moments when religious leaders need to speak their minds.

“It’s never good for the church to get involved in politics, but as a moral voice of how the world should live within what’s going on, the church has a duty to say these things,” said Pastrana, 63.

Judy Digennaro said Leo’s address was encouraging, adding that society cannot move forward positively without open discussion.

“I’m happy when the pope has something to say and when he promotes peace and justice,” she said. “As Catholics, that’s what we’re all about, so if he’s willing to speak and say something, all the better.”

Many Boston churchgoers were unaware of the pope’s address and said that they focused more on the words of their individual priests.

Gobran Hanna, an electrical engineer who moved to Cambridge in June and attends St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine, said he tends to spend time with members of the Catholic community who are less focused on politics, but conversations with fellow congregants about Israel, Ukraine, and Venezuela help keep him informed about global affairs.

Hanna said he welcomes Leo’s efforts to speak out against international injustices.

“When the pope makes a statement that might be related to politics, I look at that and see how it applies to my own life,” said Hanna, 23. “It’s not about somebody on this side or somebody on that side, it’s about how we can apply the lessons that the pope is teaching us.”

Lila Hempel-Edgers can be reached at lila.hempeledgers@globe.com. Follow her on X @hempeledgers and on Instagram @lila_hempel_edgers.

Built in 1928, the hillside home is packed with original millwork, charming details and loads of storage.

“);
$spagination = flexSlider.find(“.spagination”);
SPagination.Init($spagination.get( 0 ), {
size: slide_obj.count, // pages size
page: 1, // selected page
step: 3, // pages before and after current
cb: function(p){
flexSlider.flexAnimate(p-1, true);
}
});
}
}
}

function gtx_gallery_slide_before(slide_obj){
var slide=slide_obj.animatingTo;
$active_slide=$all_slides.eq(slide) ;
slideshow_ad_loaded = false;

var current_html = $active_slide.children(“.gtx-ad-container”).html();
if (current_html) {$active_slide.children(“.gtx-ad-container”).html(current_html.trim())}

gtx_track_slide( slide_obj );

changeURL(parseInt($active_slide.attr(“data-attachment_id”)));

//THUMBS SYNC – PAGINATED THUMBNAIL NAVIGATION
if($thumbs!==”” && navigation == “paginated_thumbs”){
var right_item=$slider.find(“.slides li[data-i=”+(slide +1 )+”]”).attr(“data-i-only-pics”)
if( right_item!= “”){
$thumbs.find(“li.gtx-thumb-img”).removeClass(“flex-active-slide”);
$thumbs.find(“li.gtx-thumb-img[data-i=”+(slide +1 )+”]”).addClass(“flex-active-slide”);
$page=$thumbs.find(“.slides>li”).has(“li[data-i=”+(slide +1 )+”]”);
$thumbs.flexAnimate($page.index(), true);
}
}
}

function gtx_gallery_slide_after(slide_obj){
var slide=slide_obj.animatingTo;
$active_slide=$all_slides.eq(slide) ;

if($active_slide.hasClass(“gtx-ad-slide”)==1){
if ($active_slide.find(‘iframe’).length === 1) {
$active_slide.find(‘iframe’)[0].remove();
}
$slider.delay(100).queue(function(){
$(this).addClass(“gtx-gallery-loading”).dequeue();
});
$ad_container=$active_slide.children(“.gtx-ad-container”).first();

if ($($ad_container).html().length li[data-i=”+(slide +1 )+”]”).attr(“data-i-only-pics”)
if( right_item!= “”){
$thumbs.find(“li.gtx-thumb-img”).removeClass(“flex-active-slide”);
$thumbs.find(“li.gtx-thumb-img”).eq(right_item -1 ).addClass(“flex-active-slide”);
$thumbs.flexAnimate(right_item-1, true);
}
}

if(typeof(googletag) != “undefined” && googletag !== null && googletag.pubads){
// Refresh ads within view

var tmp_now=new Date().getTime();
var last_refresh_diff= tmp_now – last_ad_refresh;
if(last_refresh_diff > 1000){
reset_ads_and_refresh();
last_ad_refresh=tmp_now;
}
}

//LAZY LOAD
range=5;
var $slides_to_hanle=$all_slides.slice(slide, slide + range +1);
if(slide – range >= 0){
$slides_to_hanle=$.merge($slides_to_hanle, $all_slides.slice(slide – range, slide ));
}else{
$slides_to_hanle=$.merge($slides_to_hanle, $all_slides.slice(0, range ));
$slides_to_hanle=$.merge($slides_to_hanle, $all_slides.slice(range * -1 ));
}
if(slide + range >= $all_slides.size()){
//handle first slides
$slides_to_hanle= $.merge($slides_to_hanle, $all_slides.slice(0,range));

}

$slides_to_hanle.find(“.gtx-image-container[data-background]”).each(function () {
var src = $(this).attr(“data-background”);
$(this).css(“background-image”, “url(“+src+”)”).removeAttr(“data-background”);
});

adjustNavHeight();
if( typeof SPagination !== “undefined” && flexSlider.find(“.spagination”).length>0 ){
if(SPagination.page != slide+1){
SPagination.page = slide + 1;
SPagination.Start();
}
}

}

function reset_ads_and_refresh(){
if(!advanced_ad_refresh){
// if option is not enabled, refresh all ads, minus out of page ads
if(ads_to_refresh.length > 0){
googletag.pubads().refresh(ads_to_refresh);
}
return;
}

if(ads_to_refresh.length == 0){
return;
}

var newAds = [];
var fullAdsToRefresh = [];
for(var i = 0; i wTop && slot.tn_positionY 8){
gtx_gallery_thumbs_set_backwards()
}
}

function gtx_gallery_thumbs_after(slide_obj){
if(slide_obj.count > 8){
gtx_gallery_thumbs_set_backwards()
}
}

function gtx_gallery_paginated_thumbs_start(slide_obj){
gtx_gallery_paginated_thumbs_lazy();
if(false && slide_obj.count > 8){
$thumbs.find(“.flex-control-nav.flex-control-paging”).removeClass(“flex-control-paging”).addClass(“g-pagination”);
}
if(slide_obj.count > 8){
$thumbs.find(“.flex-control-nav.flex-control-paging”).hide().after(“”);
$pagination = $thumbs.find(“.spagination”);
SPagination.Init($pagination.get( 0 ), {
size: slide_obj.count, // pages size
page: 1, // selected page
step: 3, // pages before and after current
cb: function(p){
$thumbs.flexAnimate(p-1, true);
}
});
}
}

function gtx_gallery_paginated_thumbs_before(slide_obj){
var slide=(typeof slide_obj == “object” && slide_obj.animatingTo ? slide_obj.animatingTo : 0);
gtx_gallery_paginated_thumbs_lazy(slide_obj);

}

function gtx_gallery_paginated_thumbs_after(slide_obj){
var slide=(typeof slide_obj == “object” && slide_obj.animatingTo ? slide_obj.animatingTo : 0);
//THUMBS SYNC – Go to first slide of this batch
if($thumbs!==”” && navigation == “paginated_thumbs”){

var $active_slide=$slider.find(“.slides>li.flex-active-slide”);
var $active_thumb_page=$thumbs.find(“.slides>li.flex-active-slide”);
//Check if the current slide is within this thumb batch
if(!$active_thumb_page.find(“li[data-i=”+$active_slide.attr(“data-i”)+”]”).size()){
first_thumb=$active_thumb_page.find(“li”).first().attr(“data-i”);
flexSlider.flexAnimate(first_thumb – 1, true);
}

}

if( typeof SPagination !== “undefined” && $thumbs.find(“.spagination”).length>0 ){
if(SPagination.page != slide+1){
SPagination.page = slide + 1;
SPagination.Start();
}
}

}

function gtx_gallery_paginated_thumbs_lazy(slide_obj){
var slide=(typeof slide_obj == “object” && slide_obj.animatingTo ? slide_obj.animatingTo : 0);
//LAZY LOAD THUMBS
if($all_thumbs!==”” && navigation == “paginated_thumbs”){
range=1;
var $slides_to_hanle=$all_thumbs.slice(slide, slide + range + 1);
if(slide – range >= 0){
$slides_to_hanle=$.merge($slides_to_hanle, $all_thumbs.slice(slide – range, slide ));
}else{
$slides_to_hanle=$.merge($slides_to_hanle, $all_thumbs.slice(0, range ));
$slides_to_hanle=$.merge($slides_to_hanle, $all_thumbs.slice(range * -1 ));
}
if(slide + range >= $all_thumbs.size()){
//handle first slides
$slides_to_hanle= $.merge($slides_to_hanle, $all_thumbs.slice(0,range));

}
$slides_to_hanle.each(function () {
$(this).find(“img[lazy-src]”).each(function () {
var src = $(this).attr(“lazy-src”);
if(!src) return;
$(this).attr(“src”,src).removeAttr(“lazy-src”);
$thumbs.find(“img[lazy-src=””+src+””]”).attr(“src”,src).removeAttr(“lazy-src”);
});
});
}

}

function adjustNavHeight(){
imageHeight = flexSlider.find(“.gtx-slide-img.flex-active-slide .gtx-image-container”).outerHeight();
if(imageHeight > 0){
flexSlider.find(“.flex-prev,.flex-next”).css(“top”,Math.round(imageHeight/2));
}
}

var nextSlotId = 1;
function generateNextSlotName() {
var id = nextSlotId++;
return “adslot_” + id+”_”+Math.floor( Date.now() / 1000 );
}

function addAdInto(selector,options) {
try{
gtx_gallery_enable_dfp();
}catch(err) {
}

var slide=options.slide || -1;
var slotName = generateNextSlotName();
var ad_index = 0;

// Create a div for the slot
var slotDiv = document.createElement(‘div’);
slotDiv.id = slotName; // Id must be the same as slotName
$( selector ).append( slotDiv );
try{
ad_index=$( selector ).closest(“.gtx-ad-slide”).attr(“data-i-only-ads”);
}catch(err) {

}

// Define the slot itself, call display() to
// register the div and refresh() to fetch ad.
googletag.cmd.push(function() {
slideshow_ad_loaded = true;
adslots[slotName] = googletag.defineSlot(‘home-design’, [300, 250], slotName)
.addService(googletag.pubads())
.setTargeting(“placement”, “gallery”)
.setTargeting(“slide”, slide)
.setTargeting(“post”, ‘350640’)
.setTargeting(“category”, ‘[“hot-property”]’)
.setTargeting(“galleryAdIndex”, ad_index);

googletag.display(slotName);
googletag.sizeMapping().addSize( [0,0], [[300,250]])
googletag.pubads().refresh([adslots[slotName]]);
});
}

gtx_gallery_syncHash = function(path){
pic = “”;
re = /pic/?([0-9]+)/?$/i;

if(!path && window.location.hash && window.location.hash.match(re)) path = window.location.hash;
if(!path && window.location.pathname && window.location.pathname.match(re)) path = window.location.pathname;
if(path){
matchslide = path.match(re);
if(matchslide && matchslide[1]>0){
pic = parseInt(matchslide[1]);
}
if(!isNaN(pic) && pic > 0){
slide=get_slide_by_attachment_id(pic);
if(slide>0){
avoid_next_pageview = true;
flexSlider.flexAnimate(slide – 1, true);
}
}
}else{
gtx_track_slide( )
}
}

function debounce(func, wait, immediate) {
var timeout;
return function() {
var context = this, args = arguments;
var later = function() {
timeout = null;
if (!immediate) func.apply(context, args);
};
var callNow = immediate && !timeout;
clearTimeout(timeout);
timeout = setTimeout(later, wait);
if (callNow) func.apply(context, args);
};
};

// delay the url state replacement to avoid overload
// RAYOS-271
var efficientlyReplaceState = debounce(function(title, path){
window.history.replaceState({}, title, path);
}, 1250)

function changeURL(pic){
basepath = window.location.pathname.replace(//pic/?([0-9]+)/?$/i,”/”);
if(isNaN(pic)) return;

path = basepath + “pic/”+pic+”/”;

title = “Pic “+pic;
if (typeof(window.history.replaceState) == “function”) {
efficientlyReplaceState(title, path)
} else {
window.location.hash = path;
}
}

function get_slide_by_attachment_id(id){
var slide=$slider.find(“.slides li[data-attachment_id=”+id+”]”).attr(“data-i”);
return parseInt(slide, 10);
}

function gtx_track_slide( slide_obj ){
if(slide_obj){
var slide = slide_obj.animatingTo;
}else{
var slide = 0;
}
$active_slide=$all_slides.eq(slide) ;

if(!avoid_next_pageview){
try{
var loc = location.pathname + “#slide” + (parseInt(slide) + 1);

if (rayos_gtm_gallery_pageviews) {
// Add gallery navigation info to dataLayer
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
window.dataLayer.push({
‘event’: ‘rayos_virtual_pageview’,
‘location’ : loc
});
}

// Legacy support for GA tracking
ga(“send”, “pageview”, loc);
if (ga.getByName(“gtxcelTracker”)) {
ga(“gtxcelTracker.send”, “pageview”, loc);
}
}catch(err){

}
}
avoid_next_pageview = false;
}

//Add a callback on ad render
googletag.cmd.push(function() {
googletag.pubads().addEventListener(‘slotRenderEnded’, function(event) {
var slotName=event.slot.getSlotElementId();
if(typeof adslots[slotName] !==”undefined” && !event.isEmpty){
$slider.clearQueue();
$slider.removeClass(“gtx-gallery-loading”);
}
});
});

jQuery(“#gtx-gallery-thumbs-350640”).flexslider({
animation: “slide”,
controlNav: false,
animationLoop: false,
slideshow: false,
itemWidth: 100,
itemMargin: 5,
move: 1,
//asNavFor: “#gtx-gallery-slider-350640”,
prevText: “”,
nextText: “”,
after: gtx_gallery_thumbs_after,
after: gtx_gallery_thumbs_before
});
$thumbs=$(“#gtx-gallery-thumbs-350640”).data(“flexslider”);
$thumbs.find(“li.gtx-thumb-img”).first( ).addClass(“flex-active-slide”);

$(“#gtx-gallery-slider-350640”).flexslider({
animation: “slide”,
pauseOnHover: true,
controlNav: false,
//animationLoop: false,
//slideshow: false,
//sync: “#gtx-gallery-thumbs-350640”,
prevText: “”,
nextText: “”,
slideshow: false,
init: gtx_gallery_slide_init,
start: gtx_gallery_slide_start,
before: gtx_gallery_slide_before,
after: gtx_gallery_slide_after
});

if(mobile_mode){
$slider.find(“.flex-direction-nav”).hide();
}

});