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PrimaryRepresentativeNY-13

NY-13 Democratic Primary

Candidate comparison, live Voice lean, polling and market context, and election moments for this election.

Election moments

Latest election moments

Espaillat Ousted in NY-13 Primary After Nearly 30 Years in Congress

NY-13 Primary2 months ago

Challenger slams Espaillat over surge of AIPAC money

NY-13 Primary2 months ago

Espaillat Calls Challenger an Outsider as NY-13 Primary Heats Up

NY-13 Primary2 months ago

Espaillat under fire for taking ICE Contractor campaign contributions

NY-13 Primary2 months ago

Challenger Says Espaillat 'Ignored' ICE-Detained Student

NY-13 Primary2 months ago

Hochul Backs Espaillat Against Socialist Challenge

NY-13 Primary3 months ago

Mamdani Backs DSA Challenger Against Longtime Congressman Espaillat

NY-13 Primary3 months ago

Espaillat Campaign Flyer Uses Wrong Photo of Primary Rival

NY-13 Primary3 months ago
Election Rundown

NY-13 2026 Democratic Primary: Adriano Espaillat vs. Darializa Avila Chevalier Results and Candidate Comparison

Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated incumbent Adriano Espaillat in the NY-13 Democratic primary. This rundown keeps the candidate comparison as background on the race.

The comparison below is retained as post-primary reference material: it summarizes the candidates, positions, endorsements, and issues voters were weighing before the race was decided.

Primary Result

What happened in the June 23 primary?

Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated incumbent Adriano Espaillat in the NY-13 Democratic primary. This rundown keeps the candidate comparison as background on the race.

Overview

What is the background?

The June 23, 2026, Democratic primary in New York's 13th Congressional District featured incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat and DSA-backed challenger Darializa Avila Chevalier, along with two lower-profile candidates 12.

When was the NY-13 Democratic primary?

What is the background?

Tuesday, June 23, 2026 1.

What neighborhoods make up NY-13?

What is the background?

NY-13 covers Upper Manhattan neighborhoods, including Inwood, Washington Heights, East Harlem, Harlem, and Morningside Heights, plus Bronx neighborhoods including Fordham, Bedford Park, and Kingsbridge 1.

Who is on the Democratic primary ballot?

What is the background?

Incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat, Darializa Avila Chevalier, Oscar J. Romero Jr. (NYC Civic Engagement Commission CIO), and Theo Bruce Chino-Tavarez (prior public advocate candidate) 16.

How did NY-13 vote in the 2025 mayoral primary?

What is the background?

NY-13 voted decisively for Zohran Mamdani in the June 2025 Democratic mayoral primary. Mamdani won by 13 points in the first round (47% to Cuomo's 34%) and by roughly 20 points after ranked-choice tabulation, sweeping every Upper Manhattan neighborhood 135.

Who is Adriano Espaillat?

What is the background?

Espaillat, 71, has represented NY-13 since January 2017. He previously served in the New York State Senate representing Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx. He is the first Dominican American elected to Congress and the first formerly undocumented immigrant to serve in Congress 27.

What is Espaillat's role in the Latino political world?

What is the background?

Espaillat is considered the dean of Dominican elected officials in New York. Dominicans make up nearly half of all immigrants in NY-13. He has built a network of allies known locally as the Squadriano 12.

Who is Darializa Avila Chevalier?

What is the background?

Avila Chevalier, 32, is a Harlem-based community organizer, public-defense investigator at Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem, and a PhD candidate at the CUNY Graduate Center. She is on leave from both roles to focus on the campaign 27.

What is Avila Chevalier's background?

What is the background?

She was born in the United States to parents from the Dominican Republic. She is an Afro-Latina, a Muslim convert, and a Columbia University alumna. She was a prominent organizer of the 2024 pro-Palestine encampment protests at Columbia 127.

Who recruited Avila Chevalier into the race?

What is the background?

Avila Chevalier was recruited by Justice Democrats, the progressive group that previously backed Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, and other Squad members 12.

What is Espaillat's position as a formerly undocumented immigrant?

What is the background?

Espaillat has made his personal experience as a formerly undocumented immigrant central to his policy work. He has been a leading congressional voice for immigrant protections, federal funding for the Second Avenue Subway, and against the second Trump administration's deportation push 27.

Does Avila Chevalier support abolishing ICE?

What is the background?

Yes. Avila Chevalier's campaign platform calls for abolishing ICE 5.

What is Avila Chevalier's position on NYCHA tenants?

What is the background?

Avila Chevalier has emphasized NYCHA tenants living with lead paint, without heat or hot water, and in conditions that lack dignity, and has campaigned on federal capital investment for public housing 5.

Has Espaillat addressed the Mahmoud Khalil case?

What is the background?

Avila Chevalier has publicly criticized Espaillat for what she has described as his failure to address NY-13 constituent and Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil's detention. Khalil was a legal permanent resident whom the second Trump administration attempted to deport over his role in pro-Palestine protests at Columbia 58.

What is Espaillat's position on Israel?

What is the background?

Espaillat is a staunch supporter of Israel and has received campaign contributions from AIPAC. His Israel position has been the principal point of attack from his progressive challenger 19.

What is Avila Chevalier's position on Israel?

What is the background?

Avila Chevalier identifies as anti-Zionist and was a prominent organizer of the 2024 Columbia University pro-Palestine encampments. She has called for blocking U.S. weapons sales to Israel and protested alongside Jewish Voice for Peace, urging Sens. Schumer and Gillibrand to vote to block bombs-and-bulldozers sales to Israel in April 2026 19.

What attacks has Avila Chevalier made on Espaillat's donor base?

What is the background?

Avila Chevalier has campaigned against Espaillat's contributions from AIPAC, Columbia University, and real-estate-industry donors 29.

What is Avila Chevalier's housing platform?

What is the background?

Avila Chevalier has campaigned on tenant protections, federal investment in NYCHA capital repairs, and an end to housing-driven displacement in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. She has emphasized the high density of low-income, rent-stabilized tenants in NY-13 35.

What is Espaillat's housing record?

What is the background?

Espaillat has supported federal appropriations for NYCHA, advocated for Section 8 voucher expansion, and pursued federal investment in the Second Avenue Subway. He has been criticized by tenant organizers for what they describe as proximity to real-estate-industry donors 23.

Has Mayor Mamdani endorsed in the race?

What is the background?

No. As of mid-May 2026, Mamdani has not weighed in on the race, despite his ideological alignment with Avila Chevalier. Espaillat endorsed Cuomo in the 2025 mayoral primary before endorsing Mamdani in the general election 17.

Has Sen. Sanders or Rep. Ocasio-Cortez endorsed?

What is the background?

Neither Sanders nor Ocasio-Cortez has endorsed in the race as of May 2026. Coverage notes that Ocasio-Cortez's seat overlaps geographically with parts of NY-13 38.

Who else has endorsed Avila Chevalier?

What is the background?

NYC-DSA, Justice Democrats, United Auto Workers (NYC chapter), former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, and the Uptown Community Democrats club have endorsed Avila Chevalier 279.

Who has endorsed Espaillat?

What is the background?

Attorney General Letitia James, the Congressional Black Caucus, and multiple large unions have endorsed Espaillat 1.

What does the fundraising picture show?

What is the background?

Avila Chevalier was the only Democratic primary candidate in New York City to outraise an incumbent in Q1 2026, raising roughly $270,000 to Espaillat's roughly $230,000 in the quarter. Espaillat retains a substantial cash-on-hand advantage, with roughly $1 million on hand to Avila Chevalier's roughly $500,000 in total raised 19.

What does internal polling show?

What is the background?

A campaign poll commissioned by Avila Chevalier and released in April 2026 found 42% of likely Democratic primary voters in NY-13 would vote for Espaillat, suggesting what the campaign described as soft support for the incumbent 2. Espaillat's campaign dismissed the poll as bluster 2.

What is the path-to-victory analysis for each candidate?

What is the background?

Coverage describes Espaillat's path as turning out his working-class Dominican base in the northern reaches of the district while keeping turnout low. Avila Chevalier's path is to consolidate the surge of left-wing energy that powered Mamdani's mayoral win in Upper Manhattan and to expand among younger and pro-Palestine voters 238.

Sources

Source 1
City & State New York, "DSA is targeting Rep. Adriano Espaillat in NY-13," April 2026
Source 2
THE CITY, "Espaillat Ramps Up Efforts to Fend Off DSA-Backed Challenger," May 15, 2026
Source 3
The Indypendent, "Here's Why Darializa Avila Chevalier Can Win Another Shocking Upset for the Left in NY-13," February 16, 2026
Source 5
THE CITY, "DSA's Endorsement of Darializa Avila Chevalier Poses Test of Its Clout," January 27, 2026
Source 6
PF Content briefing materials.
Source 7
THE CITY, "Challenger's Poll Shows Soft Support for Espaillat in NY-13," April 20, 2026
Source 8
City & State New York, "Why Espaillat challenger Chevalier ranked Lander fifth for mayor," March 12, 2026
Source 9
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, "Pro-Israel congressman being out-fundraised by former Columbia encampment organizer," April 17, 2026