The Sept. 13 primary in the Bronx is one for the ages. It’s usually a tough one for challengers, but in the year when the reckoning on establishment Democrats reached its peak, no one was safe. Not even the state’s most powerful senator, Jeff Klein, ousted as the Democratic representative for the 34th Senate District by Alessandra Biaggi, a candidate with a Democratic platform that translates to a complete condemnation against President Donald Trump.

The people made their voices heard in a race that should be seen as an example of what happens when there’s a more engaged voting bloc in a borough that doesn’t vote. It puts incumbents on edge, and hands true power to the true decision-maker: voters.

Klein, who led the now-dissolved Independent Democratic Conference, had spent a whopping $2.4 million on media advertisements and consultants on this election only to heavily lose. Money can’t always buy a victory, plain and simple. Being part of the IDC membership became a nasty mark as six out of the eight IDC Democrats lost their seats across the state.

The Norwood News wrote that Klein’s loss is a “tremendous blow” to the Bronx mainly because Klein brought in the kind of pork barrel discretionary funding that kept nonprofits thriving. But money can’t wash away resentment residents, particularly in the Riverdale side of the 34th District, felt towards Klein. While he did bring in funds that have helped the most downtrodden neighborhoods in his district, it was the mere appearance of turning his back on Democrats to caucus with Republicans in exchange for self-seeking power that did him in. It seems ideology can be the sacrificial lamb for power. But the chickens came home to roost.

While the people have spoken, Klein hasn’t. As of press time, Klein has avoided the spotlight, extremely disappointing especially on primary night when he didn’t bother speaking to supporters. The least he could’ve done was thank the very people who stood by his side all these years.

The paper wishes Biaggi well as she heads into the November general election. With Bronx Democrats mathematically outnumbering Republicans, Biaggi’s poised to become the next representative for a large, gerrymandered district. Our hope is she won’t cast out the Klein loyalists, but embrace them and put the kinds of divisions that give politics a black eye to rest.

As for Klein, it’s undeniable he’d done some good for the Bronx. But you can’t overplay your hand, and you can’t think that the people you see on the fringes don’t have a point. You also can’t continue to fight newspapers such as the Riverdale Press and believe that a negative story should somehow translate to the Nixonian view that the press is out to get him.

The press is not the enemy of the people, but an estate designed to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. This system of checks and balances is a hallmark to our country, and for lawmakers who’ve taken an oath, it’s surprising to see barriers put in place to keep us from doing our job.

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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.