Progressive challenger Darializa Avila Chevalier pulled off a stunning upset on June 23, 2026, defeating five-term incumbent Representative Adriano Espaillat in New York's 13th Congressional District Democratic primary. Backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America, the 32-year-old activist won 49% of the vote. The race was marked by intense clashes over Israel policy and late-stage racist attacks targeting Avila Chevalier's identity, cementing Mamdani's role as a progressive kingmaker.
Avila Chevalier primary victory
- ▪Darializa Avila Chevalier won the Democratic primary with 49% of the vote, while Representative Adriano Espaillat conceded the race after 10:30 p.m. EDT
- ▪Progressive challenger Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated incumbent Representative Adriano Espaillat in the Democratic primary for New York's 13th Congressional District on June 23, 2026
- ▪If Darializa Avila Chevalier wins the general election in November 2026, she will become the first Dominican woman elected to Congress
DSA electoral success
- ▪Nine out of ten Democratic Socialists of America candidates won their primary elections on June 23, 2026
- ▪All three congressional candidates endorsed by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani won their Democratic primary elections on June 23, 2026
- ▪Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, defeated incumbent Representative Dan Goldman in the District 10 Democratic primary
Mayoral endorsement strategy
- ▪New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani endorsed Darializa Avila Chevalier in May 2026, reneging on a prior private promise to support Representative Adriano Espaillat
- ▪Representative Adriano Espaillat endorsed former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the previous year's mayoral primary before backing Zohran Mamdani once Mamdani won the nomination
Racist campaign attacks
- ▪A former senior aide to Representative Adriano Espaillat accused Darializa Avila Chevalier of wanting to make Washington Heights a bastion of the Haitian, Muslim community
- ▪Darializa Avila Chevalier accused Representative Adriano Espaillat and his supporters of slinging racial slurs and falsely claiming she is Haitian to stoke division
Palestine advocacy controversies
- ▪Darializa Avila Chevalier faced criticism for participating in an October 8, 2023, pro-Palestinian protest in Times Square and pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University
- ▪Darializa Avila Chevalier criticized Representative Adriano Espaillat for failing to support Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, who was detained by ICE for three months
Progressive policy platform
- ▪Darializa Avila Chevalier voiced support for the "Block the Bombs" bill to block certain arms sales to Israel, making "babies, not bombs" her signature campaign pledge
- ▪Darializa Avila Chevalier campaigned on a platform that includes universal healthcare, national tenant protections, abolishing ICE, and banning big PACs from elections
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