Democratic candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier has been elected from New York’s 13th congressional district. The 32-year-old politician defeated Republican candidate Jomo Williams and is heading to the House of Representatives. Her win has stirred new debate in New York politics: her entry into Congress as an Afro-Latina and a Muslim is a notable moment for the representation of different communities in the US legislature.
The daughter of a Dominican immigrant family, Chevalier grew up in New York. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern studies from Columbia University and later began doctoral studies in sociology at the City University of New York. Before politics she worked as a paralegal, investigator, teacher and social worker. She was an investigator at Neighborhood Defender Services in Harlem and was also involved with Families for Freedom, an immigrants’ rights organisation.
Her political rise came in the 2026 Democratic primary, where she defeated Adriano Espaillat, the longtime congressman for New York’s 13th district, winning 49.5 percent of the vote to his 45.7 percent. Espaillat had represented the seat since 2017. Her win is seen as part of the rise of a new generation of politicians in the party.
In her campaign Chevalier focused on immigration policy, the housing crisis, healthcare and economic inequality. She backed abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), more funding for public housing, healthcare for all and the rights of working people. Free child care and building affordable housing were also prominent in her campaign.
Chevalier has also spoken out on Palestinian rights. In 2024 she joined student protests and a solidarity encampment at Columbia University against Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Support for Palestinians and opposition to US aid to Israel became an important part of her political platform. She has also worked for years against policies that separate immigrant families.
Chevalier was backed by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America, and worked as an organiser on Mamdani’s campaign. Her win will increase the presence of progressive politicians in the House. She will take office when the new Congress convenes in January.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report