Darializa Avila Chevalier, a progressive candidate backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, defeated five-term incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) in the Democratic primary for New York’s 13th Congressional District. Chevalier won with 49 percent of the vote, marking a significant shift in the district’s political landscape.
Espaillat, the first Dominican American elected to Congress and chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, was a prominent figure in Washington. His loss is seen as a political earthquake for House Democrats and the Hispanic caucus. Chevalier, also of Dominican descent and a Muslim, ran on a progressive platform.
Background and Context
Chevalier’s victory is part of a broader progressive movement in New York, with Mamdani-backed candidates winning multiple races. The losses of incumbent Democrats have raised questions about the direction of the party, though House Democratic leaders downplayed the significance, focusing instead on battleground districts for the November elections.
Controversial Social Media Posts
During a radio interview on Spanish-language station La Mega, Chevalier walked out after being pressed about past social media posts. One deleted post criticized the Dominican flag, stating, “[T]his f*cking nationalism is why I don’t be putting that flag in my bio that shit is violent and there is nothing good that can come of it.” The comments sparked criticism from Dominican-Americans in her district. Chevalier declined to address the posts directly, instead redirecting to broader community issues.
Reactions and Implications
House Democratic leaders, including Rep. Pete Aguilar and Rep. Suzan DelBene, emphasized their focus on securing a majority in November, downplaying the impact of Mamdani’s progressive wins. Some liberal leaders compared the progressive movement to the conservative Tea Party of 2010, which toppled incumbent Republicans.
The loss of Espaillat, a key figure in the Hispanic caucus, has raised concerns about representation and the future of the Democratic Party’s approach to progressive policies.