Bill Maher is taking sharp aim at what he calls the extremist faction of the left, and he believes he has found its epicenter in New York congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier, as reported by the New York Post.

During Friday’s episode of his HBO program “Real Time,” Maher said Avila Chevalier embodies what he describes as the overreach of woke politics.

He listed several of her stated positions, from abolishing police and prisons to removing national borders, calling them examples of how far left certain Democrats have gone.

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Maher cited an interview where Avila Chevalier reportedly hesitated to say whether someone who randomly kills should go to jail.

He told his audience the exchange signaled how disconnected she and others like her are from common-sense positions on crime.

“She says, ‘No more police ever, at all, ever,’” Maher said, capturing the point he wanted to drive home.

He went on to claim she had referred to veterans as war criminals and had attacked top Democrats, including Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, in explicit social media posts.

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The comedian then summarized his view bluntly, declaring:

“So there is a woke mind virus, and I think we found patient zero.”

His remarks drew both laughter and murmurs from the audience as he delivered them.

Bill Maher on Democratic Socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier: “There’s one candidate she will be a congresswoman from New York’s 13th District, who the New York Times asked her if someone mu*ders someone randomly should they go to jail? Couldn’t get her to say yes to that.”

“She… — Bruce Snyder (@realBruceSnyder) June 27, 2026

Avila Chevalier, who recently won the Democratic primary for New York’s 13th Congressional District, unseated incumbent Adriano Espaillat, the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Her district includes parts of Upper Manhattan and the Bronx.

Her campaign, backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, gained attention after she reportedly removed provocative social media posts.

Mamdani-backed Darializa Avila Chevalier just won the Democratic Primary for NY-13

This is what she had to say about the American flag We are in serious trouble. pic.twitter.com/GxYWHE5fZk — Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 24, 2026

Some of those earlier posts included praise for communism and a claim that she once wiped her hands on an American flag because no napkin was available.

On the same program, Maher discussed his broader frustration with the left’s direction. Speaking with Vice President JD Vance, he said he viewed the progressive movement’s focus on issues such as Israel and capitalism as extreme and alienating.

“If this is where the Democratic Party is going — this obsession with Israel, with the Jew-hating, they don’t believe in capitalism, no prisons. If this is where they’re going, my vote is in play,” Maher told Vance during their exchange.

He said that his voting history has typically favored Democrats but that he now reassesses each election without automatic loyalty to the party.

Maher explained that his long-held Democratic leanings are increasingly challenged by what he views as ideological intolerance.

Despite his criticism of the progressive left, Maher made clear to Vance that he rejects President Trump’s repeated claims about election fraud, calling Trump’s refusal to accept U.S. election outcomes a dealbreaker for him.

Maher’s comments suggest ongoing conflict between old-school Democrats and self-described socialist or abolitionist factions gaining visibility in some districts.

The tension reflects his long-running argument that excessive ideological purity risks alienating moderate voters.

Avila Chevalier’s campaign team did not respond to requests for comment from the outlet reporting on Maher’s remarks.

Her victory and Maher’s critique add to the broader debate playing out within the Democratic Party over where its ideological boundaries lie.

Maher has previously aligned himself with liberal causes but continues to use his platform to spotlight what he sees as the dangers of extremism from any side.

His latest remarks show that cultural and political battles over “wokeness” remain as contentious as ever.

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