A sharp primary upset in New York’s 13th District has put a far-left organizer with a history of incendiary remarks on track to represent a safely Democratic seat this fall. Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated a five-term incumbent, and her past calls to abolish borders, prisons and police have ignited concern among conservatives and many moderate Democrats. With high-profile progressive backing, her victory is a test of how extreme rhetoric plays in a city already leaning left.
Darializa Avila Chevalier is a 32-year-old community organizer and Columbia alum who built her name through confrontational campus activism. She was associated with a group that later posted “Death to America” on its social media, a phrase that rings alarm bells for anyone who cares about American values. Her profile on the left is unmistakable and intentional.
Her past social media shows advocacy for sweeping changes to basic institutions, including posts that described abolishing borders, prisons and police as “possible, necessary, and the only moral way forward,”. Those lines are not abstract policy debates, they signal a revolutionary mindset that many voters will find extreme. For Republicans and many independents, that worldview is a direct challenge to law and order.
She has also echoed posts saying “all deportation is wrong” and “Yes, literally abolish the border,” positions that dismiss common-sense immigration enforcement. During a debate, she doubled down on refusing to deport illegal aliens even when accused of violent crimes and after serving prison time. That stance will be painted as reckless by opponents who prioritize public safety.
Her rhetoric has been personal and provocative toward American symbols, including the line “This country is a f—–g disgrace,” and the reported remark “I forgot to get napkins so I just wiped my hand on the American flag behind me,”. Those comments are hard to reconcile with representing a district that includes veterans, immigrants who fled oppression, and everyday Americans who respect national institutions. Republican critics will use these moments to argue she is out of step with mainstream values.
She has also attacked national Democratic figures and former presidents with ugly labels, reportedly calling President Joe Biden a “rapist” and “war criminal,” while denouncing Senator Bernie Sanders for his “liberal Zionism” and even saying “F–k Kamala Harris.” Those sorts of attacks reveal an appetite for outrage that can energize a fringe base but alienate broader coalitions. For conservatives, it confirms a pattern of radicalism rather than responsible leadership.
Zohran Mamdani backed Avila Chevalier and remained publicly supportive even after controversial comments resurfaced, arguing her views had evolved. He defended her record of opposing ICE detentions and said her campaign reflects what she plans to fight for, pointing to district themes like displacement and working-class struggles. His endorsement helped translate leftist enthusiasm into a winning primary coalition.
“When it comes to Darializa’s campaign, I had not seen those tweets and what I’ve heard from her and what I know a lot of others in the district that have heard from her is that her views have evolved and that the campaign she is running on is reflective of what she’s going to be fighting for,” Mamdani said when confronted by the candidate’s controversial comments. “And frankly, when I see a candidate who has a record like she does of freeing New Yorkers who are unjustly detained by ICE, of standing up for the working person who has often been left out of our politics, especially in a district that has so many of the same themes that we’re speaking of today — a fear of displacement, a fear of being pushed out of a place you helped to build — I think that she would be an incredible champion for that district and for the city as a whole,” he continued.
The geography of NY-13 spans Upper Manhattan and part of the West Bronx, a district with deep Democratic roots and a history of immigrant communities shaping politics. It has never elected a Republican to Congress, meaning the primary essentially decides the general election in November. That reality gives candidates like Avila Chevalier a clear path to the House once they secure the Democratic nod.
Republican strategists will use this primary result to make a bigger point about the Democratic Party drifting toward extremes in some urban districts. They will highlight her past statements on property, policing, borders and nationalization to argue Democrats cannot be trusted with mainstream governance. For GOP messaging, her win is a cautionary tale the party plans to emphasize in upcoming campaigns.
Local voters who disagree with her agenda still face long odds in flipping the seat in November given the district’s partisan tilt, but the primary result changes the conversation about who speaks for this part of the city. Activists on the left celebrated a fresh, uncompromising voice, while opponents view her as proof of ideological drift that threatens public safety and property rights. The November contest will show whether this kind of politics consolidates power or continues to be confined to primary stages.
