State Sen. Gustavo Rivera is expected to endorse state Sen. Adriano Espaillat for the 13th Congressional District, adding to a list of electeds piling on the endorsements for Espaillat.

After persistent speculation on whether he would run, Espaillat declared his candidacy for the 13th CD this week.  The seat is currently held by longtime Congressman Charles Rangel,  the 22-term Congressman who defeated Espaillat in a very close race.  But his campaign has hit some snags in  after City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced she’ll back Espaillat.

With Rivera in tow, Espaillat is expected to touch base with business owners along the Fordham Business Improvement District Saturday afternoon as part of his first campaign stops.

Rivera’s early endorsement of Espaillat could likely run counter to Bronx Democratic County Leader, Carl Heastie, who’s known to back the incumbent.  He did not respond to early emails over whether he would back Rangel for re-election.  Rivera has gone against the borough’s political winds, having recently endorsed Viverito for Council Speaker when the Bronx political elite supported Manhattan Councilman Dan Garodnick.  

Viverito, who campaigned in Harlem for Rangel in his 2012 race against Espaillat, switched sides this week, explaining that Espaillat is in tune with the “economic challenges New Yorkers are facing, and will bring enthusiastic leadership to Washington on the issues that matter.”

But knowledge of the issues by Espaillat, Rangel and potential challenger Rev. Michael Walrond was not much to sway the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democrats, the northwest Bronx group which held off its endorsement of any candidate during a forum early on Monday, Feb. 24.  The group had voted for Espaillat in his last battle against Rangel, eventually winning the Bronx but ultimately losing.