Background and Discovery

In a CNN exclusive, KFile uncovered a series of deleted posts from the former X (formerly Twitter) account of Darializa Avila Chevalier, the Democratic congressional nominee in New York City. Journalist Andrew Kaczynski reported that the archived tweets featured overt praise for Marxist theory and several authoritarian communist leaders.

Key Themes from the Deleted Posts

The posts highlighted Chevalier’s admiration for Karl Marx, describing his works as "essential must‑read" material. She also expressed frustration that public libraries lacked sufficient books by Vladimir Lenin and criticized a bookstore’s "banned books" display for not including Joseph Stalin’s complete works. Further, she posted an archived retweet from 2020 quoting Assata Shakur, noting her preference for revolutionary figures such as Ho Chi Minh, Kim Il Sung, Che Guevara, and Fidel Castro.

Additional deleted content showed Chevalier calling the U.S. flag a "napkin", questioning interracial dating, and advocating for the abolition of borders and prisons. These statements reflect a clear alignment with left‑wing, socialist viewpoints.

Political Reaction and Impact

Former President Donald Trump reacted sharply, labeling Chevalier a communist and later asserting that the newly elected officials had begun to "make their move" in the United States. Despite the controversy, the tweets did not deter New York voters, who selected Chevalier over incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the primary election.

The revelations also underscore a broader pattern within the Democratic primary, where three socialist‑aligned candidates, backed by NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, secured victories. Chevalier, along with fellow candidates Claire Valdez and Brad Lander, are members of the Democratic Socialists of America, and all support policies such as the abolition of ICE.

Conclusion

The uncovered tweets provide a window into Chevalier’s ideological leanings, exposing a consistent thread of pro‑communist sentiment and admiration for historic revolutionary leaders. While the disclosures sparked national debate and prompted criticism from political opponents, they did not alter the outcome of the Democratic primary, illustrating the complexity of voter attitudes toward candidate backgrounds and policy positions.