Adriano Espaillat

Moments after outlets called the race for Chevalier, attendees at the campaign party for the candidate backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) erupted in cheers.

Those cheers grew louder when Espaillat, who has served five terms and had chaired the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, abruptly conceded the race at 10:34 p.m. on June 23. They shouted, “Espaillat afuero,” or “Espaillat out.”

In all likelihood, Chevalier will officially win the 13th District seat in the November general election because of its long-standing Democratic voter base. She would be the first woman ever to represent the district.

“I am so thrilled to have the support of my community, and I am so proud that they have put their trust in me to send me to Congress on their behalf,” Chevalier said in a Tuesday press release. “For too long, uptown and the Bronx have been overlooked, let down, and neglected. That ends today. We deserve leadership in Washington that will fight tooth and nail for every single one of us, and I can’t wait to get to work with our community to deliver on that promise.”

Chevalier’s win as a first-time candidate was part of a huge night for DSA candidates across the city. She was one of three democratic socialists whom Mamdani endorsed and actively campaigned for to win nominations to House seats in NYC this election cycle. Former City Comptroller Brad Lander won the 10th District race over incumbent U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman, and Queens Assembly Member Claire Valdez won the nomination for the 7th District seat held by the retiring Nydia Velázquez.

The race between Chevalier and Espaillat was heated over the last several weeks. Espaillat had criticized Chevalier for past social media posts critical of Vice President Kamala Harris and more acerbic tweets in which she implied that members of the U.S. military had been guilty of war crimes. Chevalier, meanwhile, hammered Espaillat for his handling of pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil’s ICE detainment in 2025, and for accepting donations from AIPAC.

The tense race between Avila Chevalier and Espaillat led to an influx of hateful comments against her, including claims from opponents that she was ashamed of her Dominican heritage, with some calling her a “Haitian” in a derogatory manner.

Avila Chevalier shared a statement on Instagram Tuesday afternoon, addressing the comments in both Spanish and English.

“It pains me that people think I’m not proud to be Dominican, because I am,” she said. “I love my people, and I always have.”

Attendees at Chevalier’s campaign party Tuesday night said any hateful tactics against her had failed.

“They tried to come with their hate, their racism, and their bigotry,” one attendee stated to the crowd. “But Darializa is all about human rights.”