NEW YORK — Darializa Avila Chevalier can change what it means to be a Democrat in a Democratic stronghold.
At least that’s the democratic socialist’s view of her insurgent congressional campaign against an established New York power broker. The candidate, who was recruited to run by Justice Democrats, volunteered for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s campaign when he was polling at just 1% in last year’s race. Now that he’s one of the highest-profile elected officials of the progressive left, she’s hoping to be his teammate from a perch in Congress — specifically, incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat’s seat.
Both candidates in the congressional race are generally thought of as progressives, but the race has become a contest between young and old, upstart versus establishment, ideas versus experience.