Justice democrats and potentially DSA are backing a left wing challenge to Adriano, the incumbent. Zohran Mamdani won this district by 33% in the general, and while Adriano did endorse Zohran in the general, his challenger is seen as the more left wing option.

Resolution Criteria

The Democratic primary will take place on June 23, 2026. The winner will be determined by the candidate receiving the most votes in the primary election. Results will be verified through the New York State Board of Elections official results at https://elections.ny.gov/.

Background

Adriano Espaillat has served as the U.S. representative for New York's 13th congressional district since 2017. He was re-elected with 83.5% of the vote in 2024. Four Democrats have filed to challenge Espaillat in the 13th District, but none of them are particularly credible, and a fractured field will only help the incumbent.

Darializa Avila Chevalier is a working-class Afro-Latina organizer, UAW member, and the daughter of Dominican immigrants who has spent years fighting for her community in upper Manhattan. She is backed by the Justice Democrats, a group that's helped elect some of the fiercest progressives in Congress. NYC-DSA's Electoral Working Group voted 69% to 28% to recommend endorsing Darializa Avila Chevalier's congressional campaign.

Considerations

Progressives have long seen an opening in the 13th District. The last time Espaillat faced a spirited primary, in 2020, he was re-elected with less than 60% of the vote, and growing pockets of the district have been trending towards the left. In the first round of the Democratic primary for mayor, 47% of voters in the district backed Mamdani, while just 34% backed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. In the general election, 65% of voters in the district went for Mamdani.