We are heartened to read where veteran Democratic strategist James Carville — on June 24 during a NewsNation interview — demanded that House Democrats refuse to seat Darializa Avila Chevalier in the Democratic caucus, telling her to “start your own party.”

This followed Avila Chevaliers upset victory in New York’s 13th Congressional District primary, backed by NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

“They should not seat her in the caucus. Her views are totally against anything that any Democrat has. We believe in pluralism,” Carville told NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas on June 24.

The backlash from Carville and others centers around the following:

• Controversial statements: Carville cited a history of resurfaced, controversial social media posts in which Avila Chevalier allegedly criticized interracial relationships, insulted former President Joe Biden, and made disparaging remarks about the American flag.

• Socialist sweep: Her victory was part of a surprising wave of progressive and democratic socialist wins championed by Mamdani. The sweep reignited fierce ideological debates regarding the progressive wing’s place in the Democratic Party.

• Carville’s stance: In discussions on the “Politics War Room” podcast and NewsNation cable news network, Carville argued these far-left views — ranging from opposition to interracial dating to anti-Israel sentiments — go against foundational Democratic principles of pluralism.

• Call for division: Carville declared he is no longer in the same party as Avila Chevalier, stating her views are a “bridge too far.” He suggested that the party needs a formal division, rather than trying to fit radically different ideologies under a single “big tent.”

The Hill.com noted, “In the last decade, democratic socialism has burst onto the political scene in the wake of Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) two presidential runs. Following Sanders’s bids, figures such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Mamdani, both now prominent members of the movement, have emerged, and conversations have been growing about democratic socialists’ place within the Democratic Party.” 

Avila Chevalier is not a true Democrat and she opposes basic American values, so we agree with Carville in calling for a formal “schism” in his party