Overview
- The race has national attention with early voting underway and the June 23 primary now shaping up as a proxy fight between Mamdani‑backed Darializa Avila Chevalier and five‑term Rep. Adriano Espaillat.
- Avila Chevalier apologized onstage for deleted incendiary social posts during a June 17 debate but continues to face scrutiny for past refusal to directly condemn Hamas, attendance at a pro‑Palestinian rally, and calls to limit deportations.
- Espaillat holds broad establishment backing and a fundraising edge, with endorsements from state and federal officials and roughly $4.3 million in outside spending benefiting his campaign so far.
- Outside groups have poured significant money into the contest for both sides, including about $845,000 from the Justice Democrats PAC for Avila Chevalier and seven‑figure buys tied to multiple Super PACs for Espaillat.
- Mamdani is defending his picks by mobilizing high‑profile allies and turnout events, a strategy that will test whether his new political clout can shift power inside New York’s Democratic Party.