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A socialist candidate for Congress endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has deleted posts expounding radical positions, according to a new report.
Darializa Avila Chevalier, an affiliate of the Democratic Socialists of America, is challenging Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., for the party’s nomination in the Empire State’s 13th Congressional District, alleging he is excessively moderate and tied to pro-Israel lobbying groups.
On Monday, CNN reported that Chevalier had deleted social media posts, including ones advocating “abolishing police, prisons and borders; tweets about communism; calls for open borders and zero deportations; and expletive-laden attacks on Democrats.”
In 2019, Chevalier wrote in a post, “Seize the means of production,” a reference to a key tenet of communist ideology.
In one 2020 post, Chevalier wrote, “We’re gonna defund and abolish” in response to a post about police.
Also in 2020, she reposted a post which read, “Israel doesn’t exist!”
In 2021, she reposted a call to “abolish the border.”
Chevalier said in response to CNN, “My opponent wants to live in the past. He is re-litigating social media posts from half a decade ago and continuing to champion an outdated politics that fails to serve our people.”
She added, “I have grown considerably in the years since these tweets, and I am focused on our community and our community’s future.”
Mamdani’s endorsement of Chevalier, which he has reiterated, puts him at odds with Democrat leadership in Washington and Albany, as Espaillat is endorsed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., as well as by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
It is not his only attempt to shape the Big Apple’s congressional delegation.
Mamdani has also endorsed New York City Comptroller Brad Lander in his bid to unseat Jeffries-endorsed Democrat Rep. Dan Goldman. He also endorsed DSA-endorsed candidate Claire Valdez to succeed retiring Democrat Rep. Nydia Velazquez.
Jeffries told CNN of the race on Monday, “I’m unfamiliar with [Espaillat’s] particular primary opponent. Obviously, the language that she’s used, as is the case with any candidate, speaks for itself, and she’s going to have to explain herself. … We’re going to continue to stand firmly behind Rep. Espaillat.”
Jeffries, speaking of his rift with Mamdani, said, “The mayor and I have agreed to strongly disagree as it relates to this particular race. And we as House Democrats … we’ve got to put the work in over the next few weeks to make sure … Adriano Espaillat is able to communicate the fact that he is an actual genuine leader who lifts people up as opposed to trying to tear people down.”
New York’s House primaries will take place on June 23. The Daily Signal reached out to both campaigns for comment but received no response as of the time of publication.
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