NY-13: Espaillat and Avila Chevalier spar over ICE, campaign funding in radio debate

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat and challenger Darializa Avila Chevalier sparred Thursday morning over ICE, campaign finance and foreign affairs in a candidate forum on a local radio show as their battle for the Democratic nomination in this month’s primary heats up.

The two Democratic primary candidates for the district representing the northernmost part of Manhattan and parts of the west Bronx took questions from listeners on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show, with each accusing the other of taking corporate money. Avila Chevalier charged that Espaillat is being soft on ICE, while Espaillat hit his democratic socialist challenger over past controversial tweets.

Lehrer, the show’s host and de facto moderator, had to interrupt both candidates multiple times to remind them to wait their turn.

Avila Chevalier told Lehrer that she wanted to challenge the sitting Congress member because she found his representation of constituents in the district lacking.




https://www.amny.com/politics/ny-13-congress-primary-debate-espaillat-chevalier-06042026/