You know I'm inclined toward dramatic retellings, but I swear, this is real. The socialists absolutely swept the New York primary races last night. And now you, dear reader, get to laugh at me even harder for ever choosing to live in this ridiculous place we call New York, trading my self-respect for a few slices of pizza with good crust.
"In the primary for retiring U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez's seat, state Assembly Member Claire Valdez beat out Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso," reports the Associated Press. "Democratic U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat lost his bid for reelection to Darializa Avila Chevalier, another [Mayor Zohran] Mamdani-backed democratic socialist. Avila Chevalier hasn't held public office before and once helped organize pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University." Chevalier's bio touts that she once "helped lead the removal of the Central Park statue of J. Marion Sims, fought for the release of Abdikadir Mohamed after 18 months of ICE detention under Trump's 'Muslim ban,'…[and] helped lead the 2023–24 Columbia encampment" in support of Hamas/Palestinians (depending on who you ask) and in opposition to Israel.
