Eight Dominican-origin candidates run in U.S. midterm elections
Eight candidates of Dominican origin are seeking office in the United States. One candidate could become the first Dominican-American woman in Congress.
Key points
- Eight candidates of Dominican origin are running in the November 3, 2026 elections.
- Darializa Ávila Chevalier, 32, is running in New York's 13th district after winning the June 23 Democratic primary.
- Manny Rutinel, son of a Dominican immigrant, is seeking Colorado's 8th district seat.
- Most candidates are concentrated in New York, especially Upper Manhattan and The Bronx.
Eight candidates of Dominican origin are running in the U.S. Midterm elections, scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026. According to Noticias SIN, they are competing for seats in Congress as well as state and local offices.
The elections will renew the full House of Representatives, with 435 members, and about 35 Senate seats. Governors, state legislators and other officials will also be chosen, depending on the state.
Most of the candidates are concentrated in New York, especially Upper Manhattan and The Bronx, areas with large Dominican communities. There is also a federal congressional candidate in Colorado.
Among the candidates are legislators seeking to keep their posts, first-time challengers hoping to reach Congress, and a judge who wants to continue his judicial career.
Darializa Ávila Chevalier, 32, is the Democratic Party candidate for New York's 13th district. Born in Florida, she moved to New York as a teenager and has experience in community organizing. She won the June 23 Democratic primary against Congressman Adriano Espaillat, who has held the seat since 2017. According to the source, if she wins she would be the first woman of Dominican descent in Congress.
Tonty Enmanuel "Manny" Rutinel, son of a Dominican immigrant, is running for Colorado's 8th district as a Democrat. He is a lawyer and economist. He served in the Colorado House from 2023 until September 2026, when he left to focus on his federal campaign. In November he will face Republican Gabe Evans.
Manny de los Santos is seeking reelection as representative of the 72nd district of the New York State Assembly, which includes Washington Heights, Inwood and Marble Hill.
Why it matters
If elected, the candidates could expand Dominican representation in Congress and in local governments across the U.S., where a large Dominican community lives.