NEW YORK (AP) 鈥�
Darializa Avila Chevalier, a community organizer backed by New York City鈥檚 mayor, has defeated five-term U.S. Rep Adriano Espaillat in a Democratic primary for his congressional seat.
Avila Chevalier was endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the primary battle and now advances to the November general election for the district extending in upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Her victory was a test of Mamdani鈥檚 political clout for the progressive left in reshaping New York鈥檚 congressional delegation.
Avila Chevalier, 32, is a political newcomer. A doctoral student at the City University of New York and a graduate of Columbia University, she had helped organize college campus protests in recent years.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP鈥檚 earlier story follows below.
NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� At least two allies of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani defeated establishment-backed Democrats in Tuesday鈥檚 congressional primary elections, dealing the democratic socialist leader of America鈥檚 largest city a significant victory in his bid to reshape the Democratic Party.
U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman, a two-term incumbent, was beaten by the Mamdani-backed former city Comptroller Brad Lander, who has often aligned himself with the democratic socialist movement. Another Mamdani ally, democratic socialist state Assembly Member Claire Valdez, defeated the handpicked successor of retiring U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez.
The victories will likely give the New York mayor at least two new allies in Congress and send a pointed message to leaders in Washington, including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who campaigned against Mamdani’s candidates and lost.
Meanwhile, Jeffries-backed Democratic incumbent, U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, was facing a spirited challenge by another Mamdani pick, Darializa Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist who once helped organize pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.
Ultimately, Mamdani and his slate of three congressional candidates were fighting to push the Democratic Party further left on key issues, Israel’s war in Gaza chief among them, even as establishment Democrats in Washington worried that their policies could alienate swing voters in midterm elections across the country this fall.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a question of electing more Democrats. It鈥檚 a question of electing 鈥� Mamdani said Tuesday. 鈥淲hen I look at these candidacies, I see in them a willingness to also put working people back at the heart of our politics.鈥�
In Washington, Jeffries downplayed the influence of the Mamdani-backed candidates before polls closed on Tuesday.
鈥淲e have agreed to strongly disagree,鈥� Jeffries said of Mamdani on Capitol Hill. 鈥淭here are 215 members of the House Democratic caucus. A handful of primaries that go in one direction or the other, in a given state or two, aren鈥檛 going to reshape who we are as House Democrats.鈥�
Meanwhile, Democrat the 33-year-old grandson of former President John F. Kennedy, failed in his bid to write his own chapter in Camelot lore as he competed in a crowded field for a seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler. Mamdani made no endorsement in that hotly contested race.
State Assembly member Micah Lasher, a longtime government hand backed by Democratic leaders, prevailed in a field that also included anti-Trump activist George Conway and assembly member , whose proposals to regulate artificial intelligence triggered .
Mamdani’s insurgents
Mamdani, whose first six months in office have drawn praise from establishment Democrats and even President Donald Trump, had made a big push to promote the three congressional candidates who challenged Democrats supported by the party’s leadership.
Two of Mamdani鈥檚 congressional slate identify as democratic socialists, while Lander has identified with the movement in the past.
In his celebration speech on Tuesday, Lander vowed to abolish the federal bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, described Israel鈥檚 war in Gaza as 鈥済enocide鈥� and referred to 鈥淭rump鈥檚 fascism.鈥� He has been especially outspoken against Trump鈥檚 immigration crackdown and was earlier this month on charges related to a protest inside a building housing an immigration court .
All three of Mamdani鈥檚 candidates have promised to 鈥渁bolish ICE,鈥� condemned the 鈥済enocide鈥� in Israel and vowed to 鈥渢ax the rich鈥� if elected.
Mamdani’s most polarizing pick was Avila Chevalier, 32, in her race against Espaillat, 71, who was the first Dominican American elected to Congress and represents a district in upper Manhattan and the Bronx.
Avila Chevalier has not held political office and casts herself as an outsider. Around an hour before polls closed, she was standing on a street corner in Harlem with controversial streamer Hasan Piker, chatting with voters in a final Election Day push.
On the next corner, a small truck displayed an ad attacking Avila Chevalier, highlighting a disparaging remark she made on social media about former Vice President Kamala Harris. Avila Chevalier had previously apologized for the post.
Espaillat鈥檚 allies have called Avila Chevalier unfit for office, pointing out a history of inflammatory and profane social media posts when she was in her 20s.
In East Harlem, 47-year-old voter Sara Hyler said she flip-flopped several times between Avila Chevalier and Espaillat in the lead up to Election Day, but eventually cast her ballot for Avila Chevalier after learning about AIPAC鈥檚 heavy support for the incumbent.
鈥淚t was the breaking point, my last straw,鈥� she said of AIPAC鈥檚 donations to Espaillat.
Hyler said it was important to elect a new crop of progressive democrats who aren鈥檛 beholden to AIPAC and the Israeli government. 鈥淎s much as I support Israel, I don鈥檛 think we should be paying for them,鈥� Hyler said.
The war in Gaza was a dividing line between Goldman and Lander, both of whom are Jewish. Lander assailed Goldman for not being tough enough on Israel over its military action against Palestinians. Goldman has consistently criticized Israel’s government and condemned settler violence but has stopped short of describing the conflict as a genocide, which Lander has done.
Mamdani had backed Valdez over Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, in the race to succeed Velazquez in a district covering parts of Brooklyn and Queens. Though Reynoso won Velazquez’s endorsement, he failed to earn the mayor’s backing.
Yvette Sanchez, a 30-year-old preschool teacher who voted for Espaillat, said she was put off by Mamdani’s attempts to unseat the incumbent in her district and stifle Velazquez鈥檚 preferred successor, arguing that the established candidates are supported by Black and Latino communities.
鈥淒o you just think you can insert anyone you want or do you actually want to listen to us?鈥� Sanchez, who supported Mamdani last year, said of the mayor.
A Trump-influenced race in upstate New York
In northern New York state, a Trump acolyte with no previous political experience prevailed over a conservative state lawmaker in the Republican primary for a seat soon to be vacated by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Anthony Constantino, head of the custom sticker company Sticker Mule, won the GOP nod in New York’s 21st Congressional District, overcoming New York state Assembly Member Robert Smullen for the nomination.
Constantino had showcased his enthusiasm for the president by putting a massive 鈥淰ote For Trump鈥� sign atop one of his company buildings. He also released a hip-hop album titled 鈥淭hank You President Trump,” and commissioned a statue of Trump and gave it to the president in Florida. Trump has endorsed him.
Smullen, who had strong support from local Republicans, had argued that Constantino’s antics, which include regular bashing of the state GOP, make him unfit to serve in the House.
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Associated Press writers Jake Offenhartz and Larry Neumeister in New York contributed.
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