Adriano Espaillat: Campaigns and Elections

1996 State Assembly Race

Espaillat's electoral career began in 1996 when he ran for the New York State Assembly in the 72nd District . He defeated incumbent Miguel Martinez in the Democratic primary and then won the general election against Republican Bill Buran with 94 percent of the vote . His victory made him the first Dominican-born American elected to a state legislature in the United States . The New York Times endorsed him, praising his ability to unite Black and Hispanic communities in Albany and his advocacy for tenants facing eviction . He was also endorsed by District Council 37, New York City's largest public sector employee union .

2010 State Senate Race

Espaillat was elected to the New York State Senate in November 2010, representing the 31st District . He won the general election against Republican Bill Buran, outraising Buran significantly, with Espaillat raising $279,255 to Buran's $6,455 .

2012 Congressional Primary (Loss to Rangel)

In 2012, Espaillat mounted his first challenge for the U.S. House, entering the Democratic primary for New York's 13th Congressional District against 42-year incumbent Charles Rangel . The district had been redrawn after the 2010 census to become a 55-percent Hispanic-majority seat, fundamentally altering its political dynamics . Espaillat received endorsements from former Bronx Borough Presidents Fernando Ferrer and Adolfo Carrion Jr., former Congressman Herman Badillo, and state Senator Gustavo Rivera . Rangel narrowly prevailed, receiving 44 percent to Espaillat's 42 percent, a margin of fewer than 1,000 votes . Espaillat carried the Bronx portion of the district and several Upper Manhattan areas . The election was marred by accusations that Spanish-speaking voters were turned away at polls or required to use affidavit ballots .

2014 Congressional Primary (Second Loss to Rangel)

Espaillat challenged Rangel again in 2014 but lost a second time . Following the defeat, he successfully ran for reelection to his State Senate seat against former City Councilman Robert Jackson .

2016 Congressional Race (Victory)

In 2015, Espaillat announced he would leave the State Senate to run for Congress a third time, in a race made open by Rangel's decision to retire . The June 2016 Democratic primary featured nine candidates, with Espaillat narrowly defeating state Assemblyman Keith L.T. Wright, his nearest challenger, with 36 percent of the vote . The result was initially too close to call, with Espaillat leading by nearly 3 percent, and Wright conceded two days after the election . Espaillat then won the general election in November with 89 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Tony Evans, Green Party candidate Daniel Vila Rivera, and Transparent Government candidate Scott Lloyd Fenstermaker .

2018 Reelection

Espaillat ran for a second term in 2018 and defeated Republican Jineea Butler in the general election, winning 95 percent of the vote .

2020 Reelection

Espaillat won reelection to a third term in 2020, defeating Republican Lovelynn Gwinn in the general election with 91 percent of the vote .

2022 Reelection

Espaillat ran for a fourth term in 2022 and was unopposed in the general election .

2024 Reelection

In 2024, Espaillat ran for a fifth term. The Democratic primary election was canceled, and he defeated Republican Ruben D. Vargas in the general election with 84 percent of the vote .

2026 Democratic Primary (Loss)

Espaillat's 2026 primary was the most consequential race of his career and ended in defeat. His challenger, Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old community organizer and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, was backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and entered the race in November 2025, shortly after Mamdani's mayoral win . Avila Chevalier outraised Espaillat in the first quarter of 2026, an unusual feat for a challenger against an incumbent .

The race attracted massive outside spending. Pro-Espaillat groups invested nearly $7 million in the contest, led by BOLD America, which put $2.9 million into defending him, with additional spending from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus's BOLD PAC ($230,000), the Latino Victory Fund ($750,000), and other organizations . Pro-Avila Chevalier groups, including Justice Democrats and the pro-Palestine super PAC American Priorities, spent nearly $2 million .

Key issues in the race included Espaillat's stance on Israel and acceptance of support from AIPAC-linked groups, his response to the ICE detention of Mahmoud Khalil, affordable housing, and immigration enforcement . The campaign turned sharply negative in its final days, with Avila Chevalier accusing Espaillat's supporters of racial attacks and Espaillat's allies highlighting her past social media posts criticizing mainstream Democratic leaders .

Espaillat entered the race with endorsements from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, City Council Speaker Julie Menin, retiring Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and the state AFL-CIO . Avila Chevalier had the endorsement of Mamdani, Justice Democrats, and the DSA's Upper Manhattan and Bronx chapter, which reported a 179-percent membership spike since October 2024 .

On June 23, 2026, with more than 86 percent of the expected vote counted, Avila Chevalier led 49.4 percent to Espaillat's 45.9 percent . Espaillat became the sixth House incumbent to lose renomination in the 2026 cycle . In his remarks to supporters that night, he invoked his personal history as an immigrant and called serving in Congress the privilege of his life .