NEW YORK CITY - It's the old guard versus the new guard – Mamdani-backed Darializa Avila Chevalier will go head-to-head with incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat.
Meet the candidates
What we know:
New Yorkers will have the opportunity to either choose a fresh face or stick with their tried-and-true representative.
Adriano Espaillat
Rep. Espaillat has represented NY-13 for nearly a decade, and is currently the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 10: U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) walks through the U.S. Capitol on February 10, 2026 in Washington, DC. House Democrats gathered for a weekly caucus meeting Tuesday morning. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
He is also a member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, which is responsible for regulating government expenditures, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Before serving in Congress, Espaillat served as the Manhattan Court Services Coordinator for the NYC Criminal Justice Agency, a nonprofit aimed at reducing "unnecessary pretrial detention."
Both he and Chevalier highlight dismantling ICE as a key point of their campaign promises. Other issues mentioned on his website include:
- fighting for New Yorkers not to be priced out of their homes
- standing up to President Donald Trump's "abuses of power"
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 12: House Hispanic Caucus Chairman U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) speaks with reporters outside of the office of U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) on June 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. Surrounded by House Democrat …
Espaillat is backed by several powerful officials, including but not limited to:
- Gov. Kathy Hochul
- Attorney General Letitia James
- Rep. Nydia Velazquez
- New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin
- New York City Comptroller Mark Levine
- Rep. Analilia Mejia
Darializa Avila Chevalier
As opposed to Espaillat, Chevalier is a newcomer to the political sphere. She was previously an investigator at the Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem, a group that provides legal representation to the Harlem community.
Chevalier also worked for Families for Freedom, a human rights organization that works to support immigrants.
Priorities listed on her campaign website include:
- fully funding Section 8 and NYCHA
- fighting for Medicare for All
- swearing off money from corporate PACs
Also listed are several acts that Chevalier swears to sign on day one, should she win.
The progressive candidate is most notably backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
She is also endorsed by the New York City Democratic Socialists of America, NYS Assemblymember Claire Valdez and New York City Councilmembers Alexa Aviles and Chi Osse.
The Source: This article includes information from both candidates' campaign websites.