Victor Pichardo claims he does not want to be a politician. While campaigning, the 28-year-old candidate for State Assembly in the 86th District of the Bronx has been making it his mission to be seen as a public servant instead of a politician.

“I see the people who live in my district as my bosses,” he explains.

If elected, Pichardo will inherit the seat that has been covered in scandal ever since Nelson Castro left office in March when it was revealed that he had become a government informant and the star witness in a corruption case against Bronx Assemblyman Eric Stevenson. Since then, a handful of candidates have emerged, but Pichardo is garnering the most support.

Pichardo, a former staffer for United States Senator Chuck Schumer and Bronx State Senator Gustavo Rivera, said he first became interested in public service after an unexpected tragedy occurred in his early teens.

His cousin, Jose Guitierrez, who was a student at John Jay College and a livery cab driver by night, got into a fender bender with a motorcycle gang one night. When Guitierrez got out of his car to see what had happened, he was fatally stabbed in the back.

Schumer took a special interest in the case and led a successful effort to extradite the killer, who had fled to Belgium. “When I saw how much interest he had in this case, I was inspired.” says Pichardo. “With this experience, I learned that elected officials really can make a direct impact on families.”

Pichardo graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in 2003, then went on to the University at Buffalo. After graduating, he started an internship at Schumer’s office. “I fell in love with public service there,” he says.

If elected, Pichardo wants to help get the Bronx up and running.

“The Bronx always lags behind,” he says. “We need more employment opportunities and health benefits.” Pichardo also plans to spend some time focusing on education.

“If you expand education opportunities, then there’s more incentive to want to learn,” he explains. “I want to make sure that education is available to everyone in the Bronx.”

Pichardo has already been endorsed by several politicians, including Schumer, Gustavo Rivera, and Bronx Democratic County Committee Leader Carl Heastie. Pichardo calls these endorsements incredibly humbling.

Now all he has to do is focus on beating his Democratic opponents in September, including Haile Rivera, Yudelka Tapia, and Keny Nuñez.

Rivera, who announced his intention to run on Monday night, had his 15 minutes of fame back in 2008 when he was one of the four small-dollar donors chosen to have dinner with then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. However, not all of his history is as inspiring. Rivera served as a staff member for then Senator Pedro Espada Jr, who has since been indicted on six federal counts of embezzlement and theft of the nonprofit healthcare network he founded. This job isn’t listed on Rivera’s linkedIn page.

Tapia, the only woman in the race, has many obstacles to overcome. It was discovered earlier this year that she owes more than $100,000 to the city’s campaign finance board in violation penalties and reimbursement payments stemming from an unsuccessful City Council campaign in 2009.

Castro, who considered running again for the seat he resigned from, is supporting his own “stand-in” candidate, Keny Nuñez, a Dominican-born attorney, according to New York Magazine. Castro said he and Nuñez share the same ideals.

Pichardo says he is pretty optimistic about winning the race. “I’m not here for my own personal interest, I’m here for the community.” he says. “That’s what should matter.”

CAP: Victor Pichardo, 28, is gaining support in his candidacy for the 86th Assembly seat.
Photo courtesy Pichardo campaign