Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old Democratic Socialist and activist, has won election to the US House of Representatives after securing a decisive victory in New York’s 13th Congressional District.
Chevalier received 87.5 per cent of the vote in Tuesday’s election, defeating Republican challenger Jomo Williams, who secured 11.4 per cent.
The district covers Harlem and parts of the Bronx. Chevalier celebrated her victory at a tavern in Harlem, where supporters gathered and cheered her name. She wore a Palestine-inspired keffiyeh around her neck during the celebration.
Her election comes alongside victories for fellow left-wing candidates Claire Valdez and Brad Lander in New York City, while several candidates linked to the Democratic Socialists of America also secured congressional seats in the midterm elections.
Past Statements on Policing and Immigration Attract Scrutiny
Chevalier’s political positions and previous public statements have attracted attention during her campaign, particularly her calls to abolish policing and border enforcement.
In a 2021 statement, she argued that a world without borders, prisons or police was possible, necessary and the only moral way forward.
She also previously wrote that she hoped society would eventually have no police at all. Other positions she expressed included abolishing border controls, opposing deportations and transferring privately owned properties from landlords to the government.
Several of these statements appeared in social media posts that were subsequently deleted after she launched her congressional campaign.
When challenged about her position on border enforcement, Chevalier reportedly responded that she wanted the border abolished and considered all deportations wrong.
Controversial Social Media Posts Resurface
Other deleted posts have also drawn criticism, including comments about interracial relationships involving Black and Arab men and white women.
In one post, Chevalier accused some Black and Arab men in such relationships of fetishising white women whom she described as colonisers.
She also attracted criticism for joking about wiping her dirty hands on the American flag and previously describing the United States as a disgrace.
During the 2024 election cycle, she repeatedly referred to former President Joe Biden as a rapist and war criminal.
Another previous statement in which she described the pyromania associated with anarchism as intriguing also resurfaced during scrutiny of her political record.
Questions Raised Over Her Position on Violent Offenders
Chevalier faced further questions about her approach to criminal justice during the campaign.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, she was asked what should happen to people convicted of violent crimes, including murder. Her response was described as vague and did not clearly establish whether she believed such offenders should be imprisoned.
Her previous support for ending policing altogether also became a focus of attention as voters assessed her position on law enforcement and public safety.
Immigration Comments Spark Further Debate
Chevalier also faced criticism over remarks concerning undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes in the United States.
During a podcast appearance in the final weeks of the campaign, she said she believed deporting undocumented migrants convicted of offences in the country was unconstitutional.
Her earlier statements opposing border enforcement and all deportations had also been highlighted during the election campaign.
Chevalier Becomes Prominent Figure in Congress
Chevalier’s victory places her among the most prominent Democratic Socialist figures entering Congress following the midterm elections.
She had previously received support from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was pictured with her after her victory in the Democratic primary in June.
Her election formed part of a wider series of Democratic victories across the country on Tuesday, with several candidates associated with the party’s left-wing movement also winning congressional seats.
