Political earthquake strikes House Democrats and Hispanic caucus with Espaillat's loss

TL;DR

Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in a Democratic primary, a result seen as a significant upset.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani's progressive picks, including Avila Chevalier, won their respective races.
Espaillat, the first Dominican American elected to Congress, was a target of progressives, compared to the conservative Tea Party movement.
The race involved sharp disagreements on issues such as immigration, housing, and Espaillat's acceptance of contributions from an AIPAC-affiliated super PAC.
House Democratic leaders downplayed the primary losses, stating their focus remains on securing a majority in November.
Espaillat's campaign reportedly used divisive rhetoric concerning Avila Chevalier's background, which Espaillat later called to de-escalate.

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