Hispanic Caucus spending “heavily” to save its chair from Mamdani-backed challenger

The political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is quietly putting massive sums into helping the group's chair, Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), win his primary, Axios has learned.Why it matters: The spending signals how much peril Espaillat's allies think he is facing from democratic socialist challenger Darializa Avila Chevalier.A newly released Data for Progress poll commissioned by Justice Democrats, a group supporting Avila Chevalier, has her leading Espaillat 39% to 35%, according to Semafor.The race in New York's 13th District, which covers parts of Upper Manhattan and the West Bronx, has attracted huge independent expenditures from outside groups and national media attention.Driving the news: Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.), who chairs the CHC's BOLD PAC, told Axios in a brief Capitol Hill interview Wednesday that the group is "heavily invested" in helping Espaillat secure reelection.Sanchez confirmed in a follow-up interview that her group is routing most of its spending through another PAC, BOLD America.That group was launched in 2023 by New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and former Reps. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) and Filemon Vela (D-Texas) to help elect Hispanic Democrats to Congress.By the numbers: BOLD America is, by far, the largest spender in the primary, having invested more than $2.5 million in the race, according to its FEC filings.Avila Chevalier's biggest outside backer, pro-Palestinian super PAC American Priorities, has reported spending $500,000 on the race so far.BOLD PAC itself said in filings it has only spent around $230,000 in the 13th District.Between the lines: The race has gotten bitter, with Espaillat's campaign, BOLD America, and other Espaillat-aligned groups running ads seizing on inflammatory past social media posts from Avila Chevaliar.Avila Chevalier has leaned heavily into her endorsement from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.Said the mayor in one new ad: "Darializa reunited families separated by ICE, and she's on the front lines of our fight for a city we can all afford. I'm proud to endorse her for Congress."Asked about BOLD America's spending on his behalf at the Axios AM Live Summit on Tuesday, Espaillat pointed to Texas businessman Hussein Mahrouq's financial support for American Priorities."We've got to have campaign finance reform ... because as long as we have Citizens United, you'll have an unlimited amount of money coming in from a bunch of places," the Hispanic Caucus chair added.What's next: Early voting in New York begins June 13, with primary day set for June 23.