Hispanic Caucus chair becomes latest House Dem to draw a primary foe

• Axios first reported on Wednesday that Espaillat, 71, was seen as likely to draw a new primary challenge from the left.
• His challenger, 31-year-old community organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier, is backed by Justice Democrats, a group that helped several "Squad" members in their initial bids for Congress.

What they're saying: "Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani showed us what's possible when we refuse to let the politics of our past dictate the future we can build for all New Yorkers today," Avila Chevalier said in a statement announcing her bid.

• "When we come together, we can topple the wealthiest political machines and build a government for and by the people."
• Espaillat has become a target of the left in recent years in part for his support of Israel.

The intrigue: Avila Chevalier is among the dozens of Democratic House candidates who have declined to commit to voting for House Minority Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as leader or speaker if elected.

• "Zohran's election made clear that voters want leaders who  meet them where they're at and meet this moment," she said in a statement.
• "Every cycle, every elected leader has to prove that they're still working for the people that elected them, and that they deserve our support."
• She added: "If I could trust that our leaders were doing enough to fight for us, I wouldn't be running for Congress  — but they simply are not meeting this moment."

Go deeper: The "Mamdani revolution" comes for House Democrats