Bill Maher took aim at New York Democratic congressional nominee Darializa Avila Chevalier on HBO’s Real Time, calling the democratic socialist “patient zero” of what he described as the “woke mind virus.”
During his June 26 monologue, the longtime comedian and political commentator criticized what he sees as the rising influence of far-left politics inside the Democratic Party.
“There’s one candidate, she will be a congresswoman from New York’s 13th District, who the New York Times asked her if someone murders someone randomly, should they go to jail? Couldn’t get her to say yes to that,” Maher said during the segment.
Maher sharply criticized Avila Chevalier, arguing that her agenda reflects a political movement he believes is increasingly out of step with mainstream voters.
He went on to claim: “She says, No more police ever, at all, ever. She says our veterans are war criminals. She said f–k Kamala Harris and Joe Biden’s a rapist.”
The remarks came shortly after Avila Chevalier delivered a major upset in New York politics, defeating five-term incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the Democratic primary for the state’s 13th Congressional District.
Avila Chevalier campaigned on a progressive platform that included Medicare for All, the abolition of ICE, significant housing reforms and broad changes to the criminal justice system.
Her campaign also drew support from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and a number of progressive groups.
Comedian and TV host Bill Mahler bashed congressional candidate Avila Chevalier on air and said he may have to rethink his vote if the Democratic Party continues it’s left wing surge
The comedian’s fiery rant follows Avila Chevalier’s recent triumph over congressman Adriano Espaillat in the Democratic primary for the state’s 13th Congressional District
The political newcomer was bulldozed by Mahler, as he dissected her political stances and prior controversial social media posts on air
Yet, in the months leading up to the primary election, the 32-year-old political newcomer faced a barrage of negative ads, with racist attacks and accusations that she was lying about her Dominican identity.
During her victory speech, at a popular Puerto Rican restaurant uptown, Avila Chevalier called the result ‘a new dawn’ for her district.
However, the race result has become the latest flashpoint in the Democratic Party’s growing ideological divide and reignited concern over the future direction of the party.
Maher’s sharpest criticism centered on an interview in which Avila Chevalier was repeatedly asked whether someone who commits a random murder should go to prison.
He emphasized that her reluctance to provide a straightforward answer reflected what he sees as the excesses of modern progressive politics.
ALSO READ: James Talarico Says TransQueer Latinx Theologian Continues to Inspire Him
‘So, there is a woke mind virus,’ Maher told his audience. ‘And I think we found patient zero.’
The veteran broadcaster went on to criticize several of the candidate’s past positions and social media posts prior to her victory, highlighting her support for abolishing prisons, police and borders, along with previous remarks describing America as ‘occupied Native land.’
In some of the posts, she praised communism — and boasted about wiping her dirty hands on the American flag because she couldn’t find a napkin.
Avila Chevalier previously branded white woman as ‘ugly colonizers’ as she spewed hatred towards interracial marriages
An image of the congressional candidate at Palestinian solidarity campus protests and encampments at Columbia University in 2024
Mahler highlighted his own political position, as a strong advocator of the Democratic party’s belief system, but posed that his support was wavering as a result of the radical lean
Avila Chevalier has also previously faced scrutiny over her rhetoric concerning Israel.
According to Camera, as a Columbia University student in 2014, Avila Chevalier helped raise bail money for convicted terrorist Rasmea Odeh, who participated in plotting a terror attack that killed two college students in a Jerusalem supermarket bombing.
Maher said the combination of those positions illustrated how far sections of the Democratic Party have moved from mainstream liberal politics.
The remarks add to a growing chorus of criticism from prominent Democrats and liberal commentators following Avila Chevalier’s upset victory.
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville has also condemned the party’s leftward shift, arguing that candidates espousing such views should not represent the Democratic Party.
Meanwhile, Maher has increasingly voiced concern that the party is alienating moderate voters, even suggesting during a recent interview with Vice President JD Vance that his own vote in 2028 is ‘in play.’
‘If this is where the Democratic Party is going — this obsession with Israel, with the Jew-hating, they don’t believe in capitalism, no prisons. If this is where they’re going, my vote is in play,” Maher told the veep.
‘Every year, I don’t make my decision by who has an R or a D. I actually always came to the conclusion that the Democrat was probably better and voted for them,’ the comedian explained.
But he also told Vance that President Trump’s general denial that US elections are fair, is a dealbreaker for him.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Avila Chevalier’s campaign for comment.
