The campaign for State Senate in the 33rd District is important to Norwood News readers because the district covers all of the neighborhoods we serve. And you only have to look at the lingering and painful budget crisis in Albany to understand that one state senator can make a very big difference.

There are currently five candidates in the race for the Democratic nomination: the incumbent Pedro Espada, Jr.; and challengers Daniel Padernacht, Desiree Pilgrim-Hunter, Gustavo Rivera, and Fernando Tirado. Petitioning, which will determine who gets on the ballot (1,000 signatures from registered Democrats are required), is under way and will continue through July 15. 

Candidates often ask us whether we make endorsements. We don’t. Because the Norwood News is published by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, we are prohibited from making endorsements. But even if that weren’t the case, we believe our role is not to tell our readers who to vote for but to give you as much information as possible to help you make your own decision.  That’s what we’ll be doing in the coming weeks, here and also on the Bronx News Network blog and in our sister papers, the Mount Hope Monitor and the Tremont Tribune.

Also, in the interest of transparency and full disclosure, I should note that my wife, Margaret Groarke, is a supporter of and volunteer in Desiree Pilgrim-Hunter’s campaign. While I will be involved in some editorial decisions regarding coverage of this race, I am not reporting on it and I am committed as I’ve ever been in my 15 years as Norwood News editor to ensuring that fairness and accuracy are the paramount principles guiding our coverage.    

—Jordan Moss, Editor-in-Chief