East Harlem neighborhood organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier is campaigning for Rep. Adriano Espaillat’s seat in New York’s thirteenth Congressional district. However in a present discipline of no fewer than seven candidates difficult the incumbent, solely time will inform if she is going to be capable of defeat him.
“I, like so many individuals within the district, have felt deserted by the political institution right here,” mentioned Chevalier. “Seeing how our flesh pressers haven’t stood up for us the way in which that we deserve. It’s been actually infuriating. I feel persons are hungry for one thing completely different, and yeah, I’m excited to assist ship that.”
Chevalier, 32, grew up in Florida, however her household has at all times referred to as the district residence. Each of her dad and mom are Dominican. Along with being a neighborhood organizer since she was an adolescent, she spent months canvassing for Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani this yr. “I’ve been a very long time organizer particularly right here on this district, and I’ve been organizing round problems with policing, immigration justice, and Palestine,” mentioned Chevalier.
A relative unknown amongst native political golf equipment, Chevalier has been endorsed by Jewish Voice for Peace Motion and the Justice Democrats — a nationwide Democratic group backing candidates in a number of congressional races in locations like Tennessee and Missouri. The Justice Dems additionally supported Mamdani and former Congressmember Jamaal Bowman. Bowman, in flip, formally endorsed Chevalier final week. Nevertheless, Mamdani hasn’t made any endorsement and declined to immediately touch upon the race.
“We’d like champions in Congress preventing for us, not for the rich and well-connected,” mentioned Bowman in an announcement. “New Yorkers uptown and within the Bronx deserve a Consultant who will do what’s proper, not simply what’s common; a Congressmember who will arise towards genocide, and combat for options to the affordability disaster working persons are dealing with nationwide.”
Espaillat, 71, beforehand undocumented, is the primary Dominican-American to serve in Congress. He was first elected in 2016. His district encompasses East Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill, and components of Harlem and the north-west Bronx. With the 2026 congressional primaries a number of months away, many candidates want to problem entrenched Democrats like him and capitalize on the “Mamdani impact.”
Chevalier is slamming Espaillat’s actual property funding and monetary connections to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a lot in the identical manner congressional candidate Michael Blake is criticizing Rep. Ritchie Torres’s adamant pro-Israel stance within the Bronx’s fifteenth Congressional District race. She added that because the district largely voted for Mamdani on this yr’s major and common election, that’s indicator that voters desire a change.
However some political leaders don’t assume will probably be really easy to unseat Espaillat.
Raúl Reyes, president of the El Nuevo Caribe Democratic Membership, mentioned, “Take nothing as a right. Anyone has the correct to throw their hat in to run. However my opinion is that he won’t be overwhelmed. His grassroots work locally is well-known.”
William Smith is a district chief for Half D within the 68th Meeting District of East Harlem/El Barrio. He mentioned that, naturally, throughout an election season, challenges are anticipated and {that a} group just like the Justice Dems is emboldened due to current wins. He considers Chevalier a “constructive younger girl,” however thinks it might be unlucky to lose Espaillat because the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC).
