Jamaal Bailey, an employee and established protégé of Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, announced his run for the 36^th Senate District, a seat currently held by Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, who plans to step down.

The announcement quickly became a major endorsement for Bailey by the Bronx Democratic County Committee (BDCC). Outside Wakefield’s Butler Memorial Methodist Church, where Bailey sometimes speaks, Bailey stood alongside Speaker Heastie and other Bronx legislators, including BDCC chairman Marcos Crespo.

“What a time to be alive,” said Bailey, 33, also flanked by his parents, wife and daughter as he delivered a Democratic platform of education reform, criminal justice reform and better wages for union employees.

Supporters characterized Bailey as heavily entrenched in the neighborhoods of the 36^th Senate District, covering Norwood, Bedford Park, Wakefield, Eastchester, Co-Op City, and Allerton. The district also pushes into Mount Vernon in Westchester County. The city’s district leader, Crystal Collins, threw her support for Bailey.

Comprised of a large socially conservative black voting bloc, the district makes up a working class demographic where incomes average $41,762, according to U.S. Census figures. The district largely overlaps with 83^rd Assembly District, currently held by Speaker Heastie, the third most influential legislator in Albany. Bailey, a licensed attorney, serves as the assembly district’s community relations manager.

“He could connect with any demographic within this neighborhood, and he brings that to table,” said Crespo.

Residents Norwood and Bedford Park have long complained of Senator Hassell-Thompson’s availability in the neighborhoods. Senator Hassell-Thompson, who’s made few appearances at local community boards and other civic associations, does send a representative each time. Bailey, on the other hand, told the Norwood News he has no intention of ignoring Norwood and Bedford Park should he win the seat.

A decade ago, Bailey began his political career at Speaker Heastie’s local district office, where he was performing “real work,” veering off the “coffee and donuts” internship track. He later became committeeman, and was ultimately voted district leader. Well before Speaker Heastie rose to the third most influential politico in the state, Bailey was given plenty of responsibilities, which included the authorship of a bill to regulate nicotine-laced water.

“That bill was ultimately passed by both houses of the Legislature, and signed by the Governor, where it became law,” said Bailey, who later framed a copy of the bill certificate as a reminder of “what government can do.”

With Speaker Heastie as an ally, Bailey has parlayed that relationship into serious backing and funding from BDCC, making him a formidable contender for the race.

“You’re gonna have reinforcements coming from the west side,” Councilman Fernando Cabrera told Bailey at the announcement. “We’re gonna help you with bodies. We’re going to help you financially. We’re gonna help you with anything you need. Just call us, we’re gonna be there.”

Bailey’s main contender would likely be Katrina Asante, chief of staff to Senator Gustavo Rivera of the borough’s 33^rd Senate District. Asante, an African-American female, stressed the need to keep the seat filled by a woman, given the few women in the Albany Legislature.

“We have only 12 women in the state senate; Four of them are black,” said Asante. “If that seat is replaced by a male, our representation is depleting, and that’s not where I want to go.”

Asante’s experience mirrors Bailey’s—both work directly with constituents to resolve quality of life issues. In Asante’s case, the issues of welfare, access to better housing and financial are those she’s had personal connection to.

“People are going through still hard times, and are trying to save their homes,” said Asante, who was the first candidate to announce a run.

Bailey’s announcement came one week after Senator Hassell-Thompson, who’s held the 36^th Senate District seat for 15 years, announced she will step down in July to focus solely on her newly-appointed role of special advisor for policy and community affairs for Governor Andrew Cuomo. Her tenure will start in July.

The timing of Bailey’s announcement bore similar hallmarks to the race for Bronx District Attorney. In that instance, the safe incumbent, Robert Johnson, stepped down to accept the nomination for a judgeship, giving BDCC the chance to insert its choice, current Bronx DA Darcel Clark. Clark had been a favorite of Speaker Heastie.

Michael Whyland, a spokesman for Speaker Heastie, called the speculation “false.”

“The Governor has recruited a number of talented legislators for positions in his administration and the Speaker had nothing to do with this appointment,” said Whyland, in a statement.

Crespo labeled the allegation a “conspiracy theory,” adding no backchannel deals were orchestrated.

“The notion that the only way Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson could get something is by somebody asking, that’s nonsense,” said Crespo. “People either have too much fun believing somehow running strings everywhere.”

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.