Pro-Mamdani Candidate Wins Without AIPAC, Ex-Democrat Claims New Donor Network Fueled Victory

A former fundraiser for the Democratic Party has accused progressive candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier of benefiting from a "new donor establishment," challenging the narrative of her victory being solely grassroots-driven. The claim, made by Evan Barker, who previously worked for Democratic candidates before supporting Donald Trump in 2024, suggests that progressive groups and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have become adept at using independent expenditures and substantial donor networks.

Barker pointed to Chevalier's primary win in New York as an example of this emerging trend. However, he did not provide specific financial reports to substantiate claims of dark money influencing Chevalier's official campaign. Chevalier's campaign spokesperson vehemently denied the accusations, asserting that the candidate received no funds from corporate PACs, AIPAC, or donors deemed harmful to the community. The campaign also stated it raised over $1 million from more than 10,000 individual donors, with an average contribution of $66.

Federal Election Commission data from October 2025 to June 2026 shows Chevalier for Congress reported $1.35 million in receipts, with $1.25 million from individual contributions and $26,602 from other committees. Chevalier did not personally loan funds to her campaign. While this data supports the claim of individual donations being a primary source, campaign reports do not always detail external group spending. In U.S. election law, Super PACs can spend money to support or oppose candidates without direct coordination or transferring funds, a nuance central to the debate between Barker and Chevalier's campaign.

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new donor establishment