In his run against Congressman Charles Rangel, state Sen. Adriano Espaillat is intent on siphoning loyal black votes away from Rangel on the hopes of securing a stronger black voting bloc. He could very well have secured more votes with help from Brooklyn Assemblyman Karim Camara, chair of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus. Camara, an ordained minister, officially endorsed Espaillat at a ceremony in City Hall.

Camara’s endorsement is largely symbolic, a way to attract more black voters to Espaillat. At a ceremony, Camara labeled Espaillat a unifier, citing Espaillat’s success in forging stronger bonds within the minority caucus when internal divides surfaced. 

“Adriano is seeking to ensure the seat originally created to give the African and Caribbean diaspora representation in Washington remains at the forefront of fighting poverty, speaking truth to power, and serving as a national model of cooperation between communities of color nationwide,” said Camara. “I am proud to endorse his campaign to serve as this historic district’s next member of Congress.”

But Camara held off on endorsing Espaillat when the Dominican-born legislator ran two years ago against Rangel in an extremely tight race that eventually symbolized the changing demographics of the 13th Congressional District. The district was redrawn to include the Bronx, which Espaillat won during the September 2012 Primary. He ultimately lost.

Camara holds no real influence in the Bronx, though his endorsement is indicative of Espaillat’s attempts at luring the black vote away from Rangel. The 22-term Congressman was seen at a pro-univeral pre-K forum over the weekend at the National Action Network. It’s unclear whether Rangel will receive support from the NAN, where it’s leader, Rev. Al Sharpton, has remained quiet over who he will support. But NAN’s national field director, Lamon Bland, is now a key member of Espaillat’s campaign, leaving political analysts to wonder whether NAN will lean towards Espaillat.

The 13th Congressional District covers a tiny portion of the northwest Bronx, and is largely overlooked when compared to the rest of the district. Bronx political groups have been vetting Espaillat, Rangel, and political newcomer Rev. Michael Walrond to determine who will represent them best. So far, no Bronx political group has officially thrown support.