Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville has publicly stated that Darializa Avila Chevalier, a Democratic socialist candidate who recently won a primary election in New York, should not identify as a Democrat and should instead start her own party. Carville expressed his view that Chevalier's political positions are fundamentally at odds with the core tenets of the Democratic Party.
Chevalier, who was among three candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, secured a primary victory in New York's 13th Congressional District. Carville, interviewed on NewsNation, addressed the election results, downplaying broader panic but specifically targeting Chevalier's affiliation.
"This Chevalier lady, I don’t – they should not seat her in the caucus. Her views are totally against anything that any Democrats have," Carville stated. He elaborated, listing some of Chevalier's past stances, including calls to abolish ICE and the police, to cease all deportations, and describing veterans as war criminals. Carville also referenced a past controversy where Chevalier founded a college group advocating for the "total eradication of Western civilization."
Carville emphasized that Chevalier's political platform diverges significantly from Democratic ideals. "We believe in pluralism, she doesn't believe in interracial dating," he remarked, though he clarified his personal stance against such discriminatory views. "I don't think there's a place in the party. I'm not, by the way, I’m not sure she wants to be a Democrat. Go do something else! Form your own party!"
Carville suggested that if Chevalier's political movement possesses significant momentum, she should lead it independently rather than utilizing the Democratic Party's platform. "Start your own movement! If it’s such a powerful, sweeping movement that’s got more momentum everywhere, then go ahead, be at the head of it, don’t use the Democratic Party to advance it. We don’t have any interest in it," he said.
The discussion also touched upon rising antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment within some political circles. Carville differentiated between criticizing the policies of the Israeli government and denying Israel's right to exist or harboring animosity towards Jewish people.
"It's disgusting, OK? And you've got to be careful not to conflate two things," Carville warned. "You can be hugely ‘anti-’ the policies of the government of Israel, which I would describe myself as one, but when you say ‘I don’t think Israel should exist,’ then I don’t have room for ya."
He stated that while he is open to critiquing Israeli policies, including settlements, he draws a firm line at anti-Israel existence sentiments or antisemitism. "You’ve got no place at my table, I can tell you that," he asserted. Carville also suggested that the pragmatic political move would be to not seat individuals with such views in congressional caucuses.
When asked about the prevalence of far-left sentiments like "abolish everything and, you know, ‘free Palestine’" within the modern Democratic Party, Carville dismissed such ideals as "insane" and stated he had "no time for these people."