Blab Politics
Mayor Mamdani Defends Endorsement of DSA Candidate Amid Controversial Social-Media History
In late May, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly backed Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member Darializa Avila Chevalier for the Democratic primary in the city’s 13th Congressional District. The endorsement came on the heels of a week‑long media flurry that unearthed Chevalier’s earlier social‑media posts, many of which critics described as anti‑American, anti‑Israel, and hostile toward U.S. military aid.
Chevalier, 32, hails from Florida and has spent recent years organizing in Harlem while volunteering on Mamdani’s own mayoral campaign. A Columbia University alumna, she also participated in a 2024 pro‑Hamas encampment and has a record of anti‑Zionist activism. Her campaign website once listed a pledge to halt U.S. military aid to NATO allies, Ukraine, and other partners—an agenda that was later removed.
When asked about the controversy, Mamdani told the New York Post on June 10 that he had not seen the offensive tweets before endorsing Chevalier. He added that the candidate’s views had evolved and that his campaign reflected what she would fight for in Congress. The mayor reiterated that his endorsement remains in place.
Investigative reporting later revealed a series of deleted posts that sparked the backlash. A 2020 tweet labeled President Joe Biden a “rapist” and a “war criminal.” A 2022 message called the United States a “f‑ing disgrace,” and another 2020 comment accused veterans of committing “war crimes.” Additional deleted content questioned Israel’s existence, described the country as nonexistent, and urged the U.S. to stop sending weapons to Russia.
The controversy resurfaced after Mamdani’s endorsement was announced on May 28. Politico had reported a week earlier that the mayor had been unaware of the posts. At a WNYC forum, Chevalier said she did not know the “context” of her tweets and declined to revisit the matter.
The campaign’s social‑media coordinator, 18‑year‑old influencer Ella Devi Weerackody, posted a compilation video praising Chevalier’s earlier remarks. The campaign has yet to respond to requests for comment.
Incumbent Representative Adriano Espaillat, who had once been a political ally of Mamdani, has been caught in the crossfire. Espaillat’s campaign has highlighted Chevalier’s deleted posts, including a 2020 tweet calling Kamala Harris a “f‑k” and remarks about black and Muslim men fetishizing colonizer women.
Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Party and the DSA, was elected mayor in 2025. He has positioned himself as a progressive leader, championing fare‑free buses, universal child care, a rent freeze, and a $30 minimum wage by 2030. His endorsement of Chevalier marks a departure from the incumbent he once supported.
The primary will take place on June 22, with early voting beginning June 12. The outcome will decide whether Chevalier, who has a record of standing up to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in her district, will challenge Espaillat in the Democratic contest.
At present, no official statements have clarified whether Mamdani reviewed Chevalier’s past posts after the endorsement. The mayor’s office has not issued a follow‑up statement, and the campaign has not addressed the controversy.
The situation remains a focal point for observers of New York politics, who are watching how the 13th district’s voters will respond to the mayor’s support for a candidate whose social‑media history has drawn criticism from both progressive and establishment circles.
Chevalier, 32, hails from Florida and has spent recent years organizing in Harlem while volunteering on Mamdani’s own mayoral campaign. A Columbia University alumna, she also participated in a 2024 pro‑Hamas encampment and has a record of anti‑Zionist activism. Her campaign website once listed a pledge to halt U.S. military aid to NATO allies, Ukraine, and other partners—an agenda that was later removed.
When asked about the controversy, Mamdani told the New York Post on June 10 that he had not seen the offensive tweets before endorsing Chevalier. He added that the candidate’s views had evolved and that his campaign reflected what she would fight for in Congress. The mayor reiterated that his endorsement remains in place.
Investigative reporting later revealed a series of deleted posts that sparked the backlash. A 2020 tweet labeled President Joe Biden a “rapist” and a “war criminal.” A 2022 message called the United States a “f‑ing disgrace,” and another 2020 comment accused veterans of committing “war crimes.” Additional deleted content questioned Israel’s existence, described the country as nonexistent, and urged the U.S. to stop sending weapons to Russia.
The controversy resurfaced after Mamdani’s endorsement was announced on May 28. Politico had reported a week earlier that the mayor had been unaware of the posts. At a WNYC forum, Chevalier said she did not know the “context” of her tweets and declined to revisit the matter.
The campaign’s social‑media coordinator, 18‑year‑old influencer Ella Devi Weerackody, posted a compilation video praising Chevalier’s earlier remarks. The campaign has yet to respond to requests for comment.
Incumbent Representative Adriano Espaillat, who had once been a political ally of Mamdani, has been caught in the crossfire. Espaillat’s campaign has highlighted Chevalier’s deleted posts, including a 2020 tweet calling Kamala Harris a “f‑k” and remarks about black and Muslim men fetishizing colonizer women.
Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Party and the DSA, was elected mayor in 2025. He has positioned himself as a progressive leader, championing fare‑free buses, universal child care, a rent freeze, and a $30 minimum wage by 2030. His endorsement of Chevalier marks a departure from the incumbent he once supported.
The primary will take place on June 22, with early voting beginning June 12. The outcome will decide whether Chevalier, who has a record of standing up to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in her district, will challenge Espaillat in the Democratic contest.
At present, no official statements have clarified whether Mamdani reviewed Chevalier’s past posts after the endorsement. The mayor’s office has not issued a follow‑up statement, and the campaign has not addressed the controversy.
The situation remains a focal point for observers of New York politics, who are watching how the 13th district’s voters will respond to the mayor’s support for a candidate whose social‑media history has drawn criticism from both progressive and establishment circles.
