NEW ORLEANS, June 27 (DC Times Online) — James Carville said Democrats should consider a formal split after New York primary wins by candidates described in coverage as backed by Zohran Mamdani, saying he could not be in the same party as Darializa Avila Chevalier.
On a Politicon podcast appearance, the longtime Democratic strategist said, “I’m done” and “I’m not in that f—ing political party,” according to Mediaite and Newser. He also said it was time for Democrats to talk about “the ‘s’ word: schism.”
Carville said candidates like Avila Chevalier should “start your own movement” or “form your own party,” and Fox News reported that he said there was “no place in the party” for them. He also said he did not want to be in a party “that denies the right of the state of Israel to exist.”
The comments came after New York primary wins by Avila Chevalier, Claire Valdez and Brad Lander, according to the reports. Avila Chevalier was described as a union organizer and Democratic congressional candidate; Valdez was said to have defeated Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and Lander was said to have beaten Rep. Dan Goldman.
Carville raised similar concerns in a July 2025 New York Times op-ed, saying the Democratic Party was moving toward a “civilized civil war” that was “necessary” but should wait until after the 2026 midterm elections, the Washington Examiner reported.
