Avila Chevalier Upsets NY-13 Primary, Signals New Dominican Voice in Congress

Darializa Avila Chevalier, a pro-Palestinian Dominican-American activist backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, won New York’s 13th congressional district primary with about 49% of the vote, defeating incumbent Adriano Espaillat amid attacks and accusations of antisemitism. If she wins the general election, she would become the first Dominican woman in Congress. Her platform centers on universal healthcare, renters’ protections, immigrant reform, and opposition to big PACs, while her campaign faced racism and Islamophobic criticism and scrutiny over her stance on Palestine.