James Carville wants out of his own party, or at least away from the wing of it that just won big in New York.
The veteran Democratic strategist used his “Politics War Room” podcast to call for a formal split after three candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani captured Democratic House primaries. He singled out Darializa Avila Chevalier, pointing to comments she once made.
“I have the quote right here, I’ll get to it. She has attacked interracial relationships and the American flag. Lady, I ain’t in the same party as you. I’m sorry,” Carville said on the podcast. “I’m just not, and I actually do think it’s time for Democrats to talk ‘the S-word.’ ‘Schism.’ I really do.” (RELATED: Bill Maher Tells JD Vance His ‘Vote Is In Play’ As Democratic Party Continues To Elect Socialists)
Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old community organizer and democratic socialist, unseated five-term Rep. Adriano Espaillat by roughly 2,000 votes in the 13th District, Gothamist reported. Espaillat chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Brad Lander and Claire Valdez took the other two seats.
💥NEW: James Carville: “I actually do think it’s time for Democrats to talk the S word: ‘Schism’ … there’s just some sh*t that I can’t be in the same tent with … I’m done … I don’t want to be in a political party that denies the right of the state of Israel to exist.” pic.twitter.com/O5ATLyvXwV
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) June 25, 2026
Carville floated parting ways on friendly terms rather than fighting it out. “Let’s negotiate a terms of a schism here. Maybe we can part under some kind of advantageous terms for both of us, but I’m done. And I’m not in that f—ing political party,” he said on the podcast.
His objection turned to foreign policy, where he drew a line. “I don’t want to be in a political party that denies the right of the state of Israel to exist,” Carville said, per the New York Post, adding that questioning Israeli government policy was fair game.
Co-host Al Hunt warned that the primary winners help Republicans. He called them “a great gift to Donald Trump,” and cautioned that a weak November showing would let “that group of crazies” undermine House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Carville pressed the point elsewhere, telling The Nation that Democrats should refuse to seat Avila Chevalier in their caucus. Jaime Harrison, the former Democratic National Committee chair, made a similar argument, writing that candidates who dislike the party should not run on its ballot line.