Claire Valdez defeated Antonio Reynoso in the 7th Congressional District, and Darializa Avila Chevalier unseated Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District, according to reports. Both made opposition to Israel central to their campaigns; Chevalier has attended a rally celebrating October 7 and declared "Israel doesn't exist."
The results represent a significant advance for the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in New York, with candidates backed by mayoral contender Zohran Mamdani winning two House primaries. Claire Valdez, running in the 7th District, defeated current congressman Antonio Reynoso. Darializa Avila Chevalier, a longtime anti-Israel activist who has attended a rally celebrating the October 7 massacre and publicly denied Israel's right to exist, unseated 13-term incumbent Adriano Espaillat in the 13th District. A third Mamdani ally, Brad Lander, also secured victory in the 10th District. The DSA could double its congressional representation from two to four as a result. The victories build on what The Zioneer previously reported as a strong showing by the progressive anti-Israel wing in New York primaries. Chevalier’s past statements — including that "Israel doesn't exist" — have drawn sharp criticism from pro-Israel groups. It remains unclear whether her positions will be a liability in the general election.
3 developments
- StrongMamdani-backed candidates celebrate primary wins with 'Free Palestine' chant
- DevelopingNYC mayoral candidate Mamdani campaigns with Hamas-apologist influencer
- StrongJewish progressive Brad Lander defeats pro-Israel Rep. Dan Goldman in New York primary
- StrongNY rabbi accuses mayoral candidate Mamdani of antisemitic incitement over AIPAC 'monsters' remark
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
- Internal intake