SouthernWorldwide.com – Former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke has publicly expressed agreement with a Democratic congressional nominee on the controversial issue of interracial marriage.
Darializa Avila Chevalier, who recently secured the Democratic primary in New York’s 13th Congressional District, found herself at the center of controversy during her campaign. This stemmed from a social media post in 2019 that she later deleted, in which she criticized “Black men” and “Arab men” for allegedly “fetishizing ugly colonizer women.”
This particular sentiment resonated with Duke, who is a former KKK leader. He conveyed his views to a conservative media outlet, the Washington Free Beacon, during a phone interview.
“Well, I think that people have the right to preserve their particular heritage,” Duke stated. “And if she’s concerned about preserving her heritage if it’s Somali, or whatever she is, she’s certainly got the right to do that.”
Chevalier identifies herself as Afro-Latina. She was also part of a group of socialist candidates who received endorsements from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. This cohort achieved success in New York’s Democratic primary elections held in June.
David Duke has a history in politics, having served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1989 to 1992. His involvement in extremist politics predates this, and he held the title of grand wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan from 1974 to 1980, which is the organization’s designation for its national leader.
Even before Duke’s public endorsement of Chevalier, some political analysts had drawn parallels between the two figures. One unnamed Democrat reportedly told journalist Mark Halperin in June that “Chevalier is our David Duke.” This individual expressed concern that she was “poisoning the possibility of a Democratic majority.”
Former Republican congressman Peter Meijer commented on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, suggesting that “the difference is that the modern Democratic Party would never do to Chevalier what the GOP did to David Duke.” This remark refers to Duke’s 1991 Louisiana gubernatorial election campaign as a Republican.
During that election, Duke ran as a Republican after securing second place in the state’s nonpartisan jungle primary. Amid widespread national controversy, the Republican Party ultimately refused to endorse Duke, opting instead to back the Democratic candidate, Edwin Edwards.
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries extended congratulations to Chevalier on her primary victory via a social media post on Saturday. The 13th Congressional District in New York is known for its strong Democratic leanings, making it highly probable that Chevalier will be elected to the House of Representatives in November.
Duke has, in recent years, voiced positive sentiments towards several Democratic politicians, often citing a shared opposition to Israel.
In 2019, Duke wrote on his website, “By defiance to (Zionist occupied government) Ilhan Omar is NOW the most important Member of the US Congress!” This statement followed accusations against Representative Ilhan Omar for implying that Jewish lawmakers held a dual loyalty to Israel.
Duke has previously made disparaging remarks about Jewish people, referring to them as “a blight” and stating they should “go into the ashcan of history.”
In his interview with the Free Beacon, the former KKK leader also offered praise for Mayor Zohran Mamdani. “I think that the new mayor of New York was a step forward,” Duke was quoted as saying, although he noted his disagreement with Mamdani on immigration policy.
Duke elaborated on his views regarding Israel, stating, “His views on Israel are critical, because there’s no more important political issue than the fact that a tiny minority of America … the oligarchs of the Jewish people, that they are controlling our foreign policy.”
This situation brings to light a potential political vulnerability for certain progressive Democrats. They are facing increasing scrutiny over allegations of antisemitism within their ranks. Duke’s commendation of Chevalier, along with his support for other Democrats who have been accused of antisemitism, provides critics from both parties with an avenue to attack the Democratic Party’s emerging and increasingly influential socialist faction.
