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Capitolio de los Estados Unidos al amanecer con banderas estadounidenses
El Capitolio de los Estados Unidos al amanecer, sede del Congreso federal. · Erick Prometeo Media

Dominican Candidates Make History With Wins for U.S. Congress

Several candidates of Dominican origin won in the United States midterm elections.

--- The context --- The United States midterm elections held on Tuesday produced a historic result for the Dominican community. Several candidates of Dominican origin won their races and, for the first time, a woman from the diaspora will hold a seat in the federal Congress. --- The facts --- Dominican representation in the House of Representatives will be led by Darializa Ávila Chevalier, the Democrat who won New York's District 13 with 89,781 votes, 87.9% of the ballots. Ávila Chevalier had previously defeated veteran lawmaker Adriano Espaillat in the primaries. Democrat Tonty Enmanuel “Manny” Rutinel won Colorado's District 8 with 117,437 votes, 56.0%, defeating Republican Gabe Evans. Rutinel thus moves from the state legislature to the federal Congress. Congresswoman Analilia Mejía, whose father is Dominican and whose mother is Colombian, secured her re-election to a full two-year term in New Jersey's District 11 as a Democrat, winning 41,881 votes, or 69.6%. At the local level in New York, assembly members Manny de los Santos, George Álvarez, Amanda Séptimo, Karines Reyes and Yudelka Tapia renewed their strong leadership in Manhattan and the Bronx and will remain in their seats. --- The positions --- Judge Manuel J. Méndez figured in the contest to continue on the New York Supreme Court, as part of the Hispanic presence on Manhattan's electoral ballot. Taken together, the results point to a Dominican community consolidating its political and institutional influence in the country. --- What remains unknown --- The complete outcome of every local and judicial contest mentioned is not yet known, nor how the work of the new Dominican-origin representatives will be organised in the House of Representatives. --- Unanswered questions --- What priorities will Darializa Ávila Chevalier defend in her first term in the House? How will Manny Rutinel's victory in Colorado translate into influence for his district? What role will the re-elected assembly members from Manhattan and the Bronx take? --- EPM analysis --- The advance combines a milestone, the first woman from the Dominican diaspora in the federal Congress, with victories in very different districts, from New York to Colorado and New Jersey. 📌 EPM Take: In EPM's view, these victories mark a turning point for Dominican representation in the United States, because they combine a historic milestone in the federal Congress with solid wins in Colorado, New Jersey and New York. The arrival of Darializa Ávila Chevalier, the step up of Manny Rutinel and the re-election of Analilia Mejía show a community gaining weight where laws are decided and turning its electoral presence into real and lasting institutional influence for the coming generations.
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