Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, urged Big Apple voters Tuesday to throw their support behind DSA-backed congressional hopefuls Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier.
Gotham’s first lady posted a snap of her winking to her Instagram Stories Tuesday morning, holding an “I Voted” sticker and urging support for Valdez and Avila Chevalier in the Democratic primaries for New York’s 7th and 13th House Districts, respectively.
“Today’s the day NYC!!!” Duwaji wrote on top of the selfie, adding “vote @claireforNY @darializaforNY.”
Rama Duwaji urged New Yorkers to get out the vote.
Instagram/@ramaduwajiDuwaji, 28, notably didn’t mention ex-city comptroller and failed mayoral candidate Brad Lander, who is squaring off with incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman in New York’s 10th District.
Valdez, Avila Chevalier and Lander have all been endorsed by Mamdani as the democratic socialist mayor hopes to boost the lefty group’s ranks in Washington DC.
Hizzoner’s backing of Avila Chevalier has proved especially contentious, as the community organizer is looking to unseat five-term incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in what would be an AOC-style upset upset.
Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, then an underdog community organizer, famously ousted 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley in the 2018 Dem primary for New York’s 14th Congressional District.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani on stage with Democratic congressional candidate Claire Valdez, Brad Lander and Darializa Avila Chevalier at a Brooklyn campaign rally on June 18, 2026 AP Photo/Ryan MurphyAvila Chevalier, a doctoral student and local organizer, has faced a firestorm over her long list of past inflammatory remarks on social media, including lashing out at Joe Biden and establishment Democrats, calling the US “a f—ing disgrace” and blasting that Israel doesn’t exist.
Mamdani claimed earlier this week he hadn’t seen his DSA comrade’s comments before he opted to endorse her.
Mamdani appearing at a campaign event for Darializa Avila Chevalier at Thomas Jefferson Park in Manhattan on June 13, 2026. Robert Miller for NY Post
Assemblywoman Claire Valdez campaigning in Brooklyn on June 22, 2026. Bloomberg via Getty ImagesShe has said she is “not interested in relitigating the politics of my tweets.”
The mayor’s endorsement has galvanized the party’s moderates, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Gov. Kathy Hochul jumping in to give Espaillat a boost.
Mamdani also ran afoul of longtime Rep. Nydia Velázquez when he backed Valdez to take over in New York’s 7th House District as the congresswoman retires.
The front page of the New York Post on May 30, 2026.
Velázquez endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso as her successor for the seat that covers some of Queens and Brooklyn.
Queens Councilwoman Julie Won is also in the race, and could slice off enough votes to play spoiler for either Valdez and Reynoso, the leading candidates.
