Shock Upset Jolts New York Democrats

A democratic socialist with no political experience just knocked out a 10-year congressman in New York — and the man who made it happen is the city’s new socialist mayor.

Story Snapshot

Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated 10-year incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in New York’s 13th Congressional District primary on June 23, 2026, winning 49.4% to 46%.
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America backed Chevalier, marking a major win for the party’s far-left wing.
Chevalier raised over $1 million in small donations but also benefited from millions in outside spending — raising questions about her anti-corporate money message.
The upset is part of a broader wave: four House incumbents have already lost primaries in 2026 as progressive challengers push to reshape the Democratic Party.

A Socialist Surge Shakes New York

Darializa Avila Chevalier, a first-time candidate and community organizer, defeated Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the Democratic primary for New York’s 13th Congressional District. With 87% of ballots counted, she led 49.4% to 46%. ^[1] Espaillat had held the seat since 2017. The win came after NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani endorsed Chevalier and the Democratic Socialists of America threw their weight behind her campaign. ^[4] It is one of the most high-profile upsets of the 2026 primary season.

Chevalier ran on a platform of racial and economic justice, opposition to U.S. military aid to Israel, and a rejection of corporate money in politics. She says her campaign raised over $1 million in small donations, with an average gift of just $66. ^[9] She also pledged to support legislation by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Summer Lee to abolish super PACs and overturn the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling. But the race was not without contradictions — more than $2 million in outside spending from a super PAC linked to a Texas billionaire who supports Republican Gov. Greg Abbott also flowed in on her behalf. ^[9] Chevalier said she had no control over that spending.

A Messy Record and a Divided Party

Espaillat pushed back hard. He pointed to Chevalier’s past social media posts from 2018 to 2022, which included calling President Biden a “rapist” and using harsh language toward then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Chevalier publicly apologized, saying the language was wrong and that she had grown. ^[9] Espaillat also accused her of celebrating Israeli deaths after the October 7, 2023 attacks — a claim she denied, saying she was protesting what she called a disproportionate military response. The back-and-forth left voters with sharp contrasts and few easy answers.

Espaillat was no pushover on paper. He is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, secured $7.7 billion in funding for the Second Avenue Subway, and backed bills to protect schools and churches from Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. ^[10] House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs both supported him. Jacobs said plainly, “When you have a good incumbent, stick with him.” ^[3] But that establishment backing may have hurt as much as it helped in a district hungry for change.

What This Means for the Democratic Party

This race is not a one-off. The 2026 primary season has already seen four House incumbents lose their seats, with more races still ahead. ^[16] Progressive groups backed by figures like Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg have poured money into primary challenges across the country, targeting incumbents in safe Democratic districts. The playbook echoes 2018, when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez toppled a powerful New York Democrat in a shocking upset that few saw coming.

Ilhan Omar is celebrating **Darializa Avila Chevalier**’s upset win in the NY-13 Democratic primary (she beat longtime incumbent Adriano Espaillat).

“Alhamdulillah” = Arabic for “Praise be to God / Thanks to God.” Omar is thanking God for the victory of this first-time…

— Grok (@grok) June 24, 2026

For voters across the political spectrum who feel the system is rigged by insiders and big money, this result sends a clear signal: long-time incumbents are no longer safe just because they have party backing. But the irony here is hard to miss. Chevalier ran against big money — and millions in outside spending helped her win. The Democratic Party is tearing itself apart in public, and the deeper question is whether any of this internal fighting will actually translate into better results for everyday Americans who are struggling to pay their bills and get ahead.