Manhattan Assemblyman Keith Wright gave a “guarantee” that the Bronx will see a legislative office should he win in the heavily crowded race for the 13th Congressional District long held by Congressman Charles Rangel, who is retiring.

“We’re actually looking to open a Bronx campaign office as well as Bronx congressional office after we win,” said Wright, standing beside Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., who endorsed him for Congress before the steps of Borough Hall April 21.

Roughly 20 percent of the district, gerrymandered a few years back, is in the west Bronx, which includes Norwood. A long-held bone of contention from Bronx political observers was Rangel never opening a legislative office in the borough, which would have forced residents to travel to Manhattan should they make an in-person complaint.

Wright sought to mend the Upper Manhattan-Bronx portions of the district, once largely comprised of black voters that’s shifted to a mixed ethnic crowd, by saying its problems are on in the same.

“What happens in the Bronx, happens in Harlem,” said Wright, calling Diaz’s endorsement the “most coveted.”

Diaz, who endorsed another 13th Congressional District challenger, state Senator Adriano Espaillat (Espaillat also promised a congressional office in the Bronx) during his first two attempts for the seat, switched sides, calling Wright a “bonafide Grade-A contender.”

Wright has served in the Assembly since 1992. He serves as chair of the Assembly’s housing committee.

“Chairman Wright expanded coverage to our Mitchell-Lama developments; Chairman Wright was there to increase capital funding to the tune of $100 million for the New York City Housing Authority; Chairman Wright was there to push for $1.5 million in New York State Finance Authority so we could have more housing,” said Diaz, sticking to Wright’s legislative record in the Assembly, seeing how policies and laws impact the entire state.

But political insiders say Diaz’s endorsement of Wright was a concession the Bronx Democratic County Committee gave after Wright withdrew his name for the vacant Assembly Speaker race, which eventually went to current speaker and Bronx legislator, Carl Heastie.

Wright, opportunely added his limited connection to the Bronx, having been born in the borough, matriculating at a Bronx high school, and meeting his wife in the borough.

“I don’t know how much more Bronx you can get than that,” said Wright.

The congressional primary is June 28.

admin

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.