Coalition of leading Latinos endorse Espaillat over Chevalier in bitter NYC House race
Latino Officials Endorse Rep. Adriano Espaillat in Contentious Primary Race
In a surprising turn of events, a coalition of city elected Latino officials came together to issue a joint statement on Sunday endorsing five-term Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the upcoming Democratic primary. The endorsement comes amidst a heated re-election battle between Espaillat and his challenger, Darializa Avila Chevalier, who is backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America.
The 13th House district, which includes Harlem, East Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood, and parts of the Bronx, is up for grabs in this contentious primary. With approximately half of the district’s constituents being of Hispanic descent, mainly Dominican and Puerto Rican, the endorsement from Latino officials carries significant weight.
Both Espaillat and Chevalier share Dominican heritage, making this race particularly significant for the Hispanic community. The statement from Latino officials highlighted Espaillat’s deep understanding of the community’s needs and his track record of delivering results.
“Adriano is one of us. He knows our neighborhoods, our struggles, our history, and our hopes because he has lived this work for decades,” the statement read, signed by prominent figures like Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres, former Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., and several state assembly members and City Council members.
The group emphasized Espaillat’s role in securing federal funding for the district, which has been instrumental in supporting schools, youth programs, higher education, NYCHA safety upgrades, housing improvements, public infrastructure, and community institutions.
“That is what leadership looks like,” the Latino leaders stated. “We stand with Adriano Espaillat because he has led, he has delivered, and he has never forgotten where he comes from.”
On the other hand, Chevalier has come under fire for making racist remarks in the past, targeting white women and black and “Arab’’ men in derogatory terms. The contrast in approaches between the two candidates has further polarized the race.
