Shapiro on CNN criticizes Chevalier after her primary win, citing “profound differences,” as Democratic debate over socialist candidates intensifies

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, criticized New York House nominee Darializa Avila Chevalier during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” saying he has “profound differences” with the candidate even though her district voted for her. Shapiro told CNN that he and Chevalier do not “seemingly” share the same values and that she ran on the Democratic ticket, which he said her voters chose for her to represent them.

The remarks focused on policy and identity within the Democratic Party after Chevalier’s primary win in New York’s 13th Congressional District. According to the reporting, Chevalier defeated Rep. Adriano Espaillat, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus chairman, last month in a deep-blue district covering parts of Upper Manhattan and the West Bronx.

The CNN interview also served as an opening for Shapiro to argue that Democrats should have a broader internal debate about priorities and governing direction. Shapiro said the party is going through a process that he described as “healthy,” pointing to the need for a “battle over what we believe in” that he said Democrats have not done since the 1992 election cycle. The comments were presented in the context of rising competition between establishment-aligned Democrats and candidates described by reporters and other Democrats as socialist-leaning.

Separately, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., criticized Democrats for what she described as dismissive responses to socialist candidates who win Democratic primaries. Jayapal, chair emerita of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told CNN that she has heard “a lot of very disrespectful comments” coming from parts of the party that, in her view, dismiss the voters who elected these candidates.

Jayapal’s criticism was tied to recent primary outcomes, as the reporting described socialist-leaning candidates including Chevalier as having won Democratic nominations. The exchange underscored a broader, public dispute within the party over whether party leaders should treat left-leaning factions as part of a “big tent” or as a challenge to the party’s direction and coalition.

Neither Shapiro nor Jayapal’s remarks changed the legal status of Chevalier’s nomination, but the debate could shape how Democratic leaders frame messaging and coalition-building during the general election period. With Shapiro’s comments centering on disagreements over values and priorities, the dispute is likely to remain part of Democratic intra-party discussions about candidate vetting, party platform emphasis, and how elected officials reconcile primary outcomes with their own policy and governance preferences.