Mamdani-Backed Candidate Wins Without AIPAC, Former Democrat Reveals New Donor Network
The name Darializa Avila Chevalier has once again come under scrutiny after a former Democratic Party fundraiser alleged that the progressive figure’s victory did not stem entirely from a grassroots movement. The accusation has reopened the debate concerning large-scale funding, pro-Israel lobbying, and ideological shifts within the United States Democratic Party.
Evan Barker, a former fundraiser for Democratic candidates who subsequently supported Donald Trump in the 2024 election, claims that progressive groups and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have learned to leverage independent expenditures and large donor networks to win for their candidates. As reported by Fox News Digital on Thursday, 30 July 2026, Barker cited Chevalier’s victory in the Democratic primary in New York as an example of what he terms a ‘new donor establishment’ within the progressive wing. However, during the interview, Barker did not provide specific financial report evidence showing that Chevalier’s official campaign received dark money.
A spokesperson for Chevalier denied the allegations. The campaign stated that Chevalier did not receive funds from the corporate political action committee AIPAC, companies linked to immigration enforcement, or donors deemed harmful to the community in her district. The campaign also claimed to have raised over one million USD from more than 10,000 individual donors, with an average contribution of 66 USD. These figures regarding donor numbers and average donations were statements provided by the campaign to Fox News Digital.
Data from the US Federal Election Commission (FEC) provides a more detailed picture. From 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026, the official ‘Darializa for Congress’ committee reported receipts of 1.35 million USD. Approximately 1.25 million USD came from individual contributions, while 26,602 USD came from other committees. Chevalier was not recorded as providing personal loans to her campaign.
This data supports the claim that individual funds were the primary source for Chevalier’s campaign. However, candidate reports do not automatically record all expenditures from outside groups. Under US election law, a super-PAC can spend funds to support or oppose a candidate without transferring money to the campaign and without coordinating with said candidate. Consequently, two things can occur simultaneously: a candidate may not receive direct contributions from corporate PACs, yet still benefit politically from advertisements, volunteer mobilisation, or independent spending by other organisations. This is the crux of the debate between Barker and the Chevalier camp.
Defeating a Veteran Politician
Chevalier gained national attention after defeating incumbent Representative Adriano Espaillat in the Democratic primary for New York’s 13th Congressional District on 23 June 2026. The Associated Press declared Chevalier the winner once more than 86 per cent of the estimated votes had been counted. At that time, Chevalier secured approximately 49.4 per cent of the vote, while Espaillat received 45.9 per cent, with two other candidates splitting the remainder.
The victory was surprising as Espaillat is no ordinary politician; he has served in Congress for nearly a decade, leading the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and enjoyed support from several established figures and organisations within the Democratic Party. Chevalier, by contrast, is a first-time candidate who has never held public office. She ran with the support of democratic socialist groups, progressive organisations, pro-Palestinian activists, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Chevalier’s victory is part of a successful wave for three candidates backed by Mamdani. Alongside Chevalier, Brad Lander and Claire Valdez also won their respective primaries. The Associated Press described the results as a demonstration of Mamdani’s political strength in his effort to shift the New York Democratic Party towards a more progressive direction.