NY Socialist Mamdani Backs Anti-American DSA House Candidate
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani reaffirmed his support for Democratic Socialist congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier despite her past anti-American social media posts.
According to New York Post, Mamdani used a campaign stop at early voting booths at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the Upper East Side to praise Democratic Socialist of America insurgent Darializa Avila Chevalier, describing her Saturday as a “perfect candidate.”
The mayor is backing Avila Chevalier, 32, over Harlem-based Representative Adriano Espaillat in the primary for the 13th Congressional District, which includes parts of northern Manhattan and the West Bronx.
Avila Chevalier has drawn fierce criticism over a series of offensive social media posts that have since been deleted. The posts include statements calling the US “a f–ing disgrace,” attacking police officers, and accusing veterans of committing “war crimes.”
The DSA candidate has also suggested the United States is worse than Hamas terrorists, declared “I hate this f–king country,” and once desecrated the American flag by using it as a napkin to wipe her hands.
“I forgot to get napkins so I just wiped my hand on the American flag behind me,” she posted online in 2019, accompanied by a smiling face emoji.
Despite this track record, Mamdani expressed no reservations about his endorsement. “I think Darializa is the perfect candidate for the race,” the smiling mayor said on Saturday.
Earlier this month, Mamdani claimed he had never seen the inflammatory posts before endorsing Avila Chevalier.
Socialist Slate for Congress
The mayor also promoted two other far-left Congressional candidates running in Democratic primaries: Claire Valdez and Brad Lander.
Valdez, a Queens assemblywoman and DSA member, is competing for an open seat in the 7th District covering waterfront neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens. The district has been dubbed the “Commie Corridor” for its high concentration of DSA and other far-left voters.
Outgoing longtime Representative Nydia Velázquez, who is retiring, has endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso against Valdez in the primary.
Far-left former City Comptroller Brad Lander received Mamdani’s endorsement over incumbent Representative Dan Goldman in the DSA-friendly 10th District covering brownstone Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan.
“I do wish that every New Yorker has the chance to vote for Darializa Avila Chevalier, for Claire Valdez, for Brad Lander,” said the mayor. “Three congressional candidates that I’m so excited to have endorsed, who would be incredible partners in the fight to make the world’s, the country’s most expensive city, into one that’s affordable.”
Socialist Takeover Strategy
Political operatives and analysts view Mamdani’s aggressive endorsement strategy as part of a broader long-term effort by him and other socialists to seize control of the Democratic Party.
The mayor remained silent on the contest to replace retiring Representative Jerry Nadler in Manhattan’s 12th Congressional District. New York Post reports that Mamdani told reporters he would be “keeping my vote in this race between myself, the ballot, and that incredible pen that the Board of Elections gives to every voter,” after casting his ballot during early voting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The 12th Congressional District race includes Upper East Side Assemblyman and former top Nadler aide Micah Lasher; East Side Assemblyman Alex Bores; Jack Schlossberg, grandson of former President John F. Kennedy; Nina Schwalbe, a public health researcher; and George Conway, a lawyer and President Donald Trump-hating former Republican.
Nadler is backing his protégé, Lasher.
With information from New York Post
