From insurgent to establishment: Espaillat reckons with uptown shift to the left

Today's newsletter is curated by James Ramsay

Weather: ☀️ Sunny, highs in the upper 80s.

It's Thursday in New York City, where five-term incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat is facing a serious primary challenge from newcomer Darializa Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist riding a wave of voter fury against the Democratic Party.

But it wasn't long ago that Espaillat, who was once undocumented and became the first Dominican American elected to Congress, was the outsider taking on the establishment.

Here's how demographic changes in the Upper Manhattan and Bronx district — and fury over Israel's war in Gaza — have created an opening for 32-year-old grad student Avila Chevalier.

And here's what else is happening:

• Game 1 of the NBA Finals concluded last night with a comeback win for the Knicks and a mostly orderly celebration outside Madison Square Garden. 
• On last night's installment of "Ask Governor Sherrill" on WNYC, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill took call after call from people who told her state police had been overly aggressive in violent clashes with protesters outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center.
• Democrats in Albany yesterday approved a constitutional amendment that'll effectively allow New York to follow other states in redrawing congressional district lines ahead of the 2028 election. 
• Mayor Zohran Mamdani affirmed that he will host an annual event celebrating Puerto Rican heritage at Gracie Mansion later this month, after his office said the event was canceled.
• NYU said a student has been arrested after he allegedly raised a flag featuring swastikas and a Star of David during graduation festivities last month.
• New York City's Department of Transportation has announced an expansion of its use of high-tech sensors that track how pedestrians, cyclist and drivers behave.
• The Manhattan district attorney's office is accusing eight people of impersonating shipping companies and stealing up to $4.5 million worth of items including beef, lamb, copper, cigarettes and cheese, with the intent to sell it on the black market.
• LGBTQ+ NYPD officers affiliated with the Gay Officers Action League will once again abstain from marching in the city's Pride March this year because they wouldn't be allowed to carry their weapons.

• New York City has about 15,700 empty storefronts right now, putting the commercial vacancy rate a little higher than it was at the start of 2020, according to new data from the city's comptroller.
• 311 complaints about unruly dogs at city restaurants are up.
• Congrats to the Knicks fans who got free drinks at this Midtown bar that covered last night's tab by hedging bets on Kalshi.
• Newark's historic Forest Hill neighborhood is "hosting" self-guided walking tours of local homes featured in movies and commercials.
• CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil gave his fired colleague Scott Pelley a shout-out last night, calling the "60 Minutes" veteran "a journalist who valued truth at all costs."
• Niche literary magazines say they're not too worried about people secretly submitting AI-generated stories because why would anyone do that.
• I'm also not sure why anyone would wait on line for these "dotcakes," but I haven't tried one!