Congressional Candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier Deletes Controversial Social Media Posts

Darializa Avila Chevalier, a Democratic candidate for New York's 13th Congressional District, has deleted thousands of posts from a previous Twitter account that included calls to abolish police, prisons, and borders, as well as advocating for the seizure of private property. Avila Chevalier, who is endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, stated that the deleted posts do not reflect her current views and accused her opponent, Rep. Adriano Espaillat, of focusing on her past instead of current issues. The primary election on June 23 has garnered attention as a contest between the establishment and the democratic-socialist factions within the Democratic Party. Reports have surfaced detailing Avila Chevalier's past social media activity, which included support for communism and criticism of various political figures and institutions. In response to scrutiny, Avila Chevalier emphasized her growth since those posts and her commitment to addressing community needs. Mayor Mamdani reaffirmed his support for her candidacy, highlighting her advocacy for working-class New Yorkers. The last archived tweet from her deleted account was from May 2022, and it is unclear when the account was removed.