Reacting to the announcement, Dinowitz said he was thrilled to be endorsed by the union. “As a musician myself, I am dedicated to ensuring our city’s musicians have fair wages and protections on the job,” he said. “If we want New York to thrive, this industry must thrive as well, and I will make sure that we’re doing everything we can to help not just the venues and halls, but the workers and artists who work within them, so that they can live, work, and raise their families here.”

 

On Feb. 18, Norwood News reported that 32BJ SEIU, DC37, and Hotel Trades Council (HTC) had endorsed Dinowitz. We also reported that the District 11 candidate had previously been endorsed by Congressman Adriano Espaillat, the United Federation of Teachers, by both U.S. Congressman Ritchie Torres and Bronx Democratic Chairperson, State Sen. Jamaal T. Bailey, as well as by Bronx Borough President Ruben Díaz Jr, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA) of Greater New York-FDNY and Uniformed EMTs, Paramedics, and Fire Inspectors Local 2507.

 

The district leader, who is the son of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, who represents the 81st Assembly District in the Northwest Bronx, had also previously received the backing of New York State Assembly Member Chantel Jackson, New York City Council Members Danny Dromm and Mark Treyger, the Bronx Democratic Party, Central Labor Council, the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC, and amid some controversy, the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club.

 

Dinowitz’s opponents charge that he is part of the “Democratic Party machine,” a group of officials or “the establishment” who control the Bronx Democratic Party. A review of the various campaign donations to Dinowitz’s campaign shows that he has received a number of donations from various elected officials, and while this is not illegal, and the amounts involved are not enormous (the maximum contribution being $2,850), it begs the question as to whether the district leader would have made those connections had it not been for his father’s long-established ties through his political career.

 

The donors include NYS Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, New York City Councilman from the 14th City Council District in the Bronx, Fernando Cabrera, former Congressman for the 15th congressional district, Eliot Engel, New York State Assembly Member Amy Paulin, who represents parts of upstate New York, New York State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, representing the Upper East Side of Manhattan, William Weitz, former chief of staff at the U.S. House of Representatives to former U.S. Rep. Engel, City Council Member Justin Brannan, and former City Council Member and Bronx District 11 incumbent, Andrew Cohen.

 

They also include New York State Assembly Member, Richard Gottfried, DOT borough commissioner, Nivardo Lopez, New York State Assembly Member Dan Quart, New York State Assembly Legislator, Aravell Simotas, New York State Assembly Member David Weprin, New York State Assembly Member Sandra Galef, director of intergovernmental relations at the New York State Attorney General’s office, Timothy Tapia and executive director of the Bronx Democratic Party, Ariana Collado.

 

This represents 16 donors out of a total of 473 campaign donations.

 

Dinowitz’s campaign has shot back at his critics saying, “While other candidates may be focused on mudslinging, Eric Dinowitz is focused on helping working families and seniors recover. Eric supported efforts to elect a Democratic majority in the State Senate and make Andrea Stewart-Cousins the majority leader, a position where she continues to lead our state forward, and Eric supported ranked choice voting and numerous reforms to make voting easier.”

 

The statement continued, “Voters are smart, and Eric has faith that the nonpartisan special election system will allow the Northwest Bronx to pick the best representative for the City Council.”

 

On Feb. 23, Dinowitz received further support from recently elected City Councilman Kevin Riley representing the 12th City Council District in the Bronx. “The people of the Northwest Bronx deserve the best representation possible, which is why I’m excited to announce my endorsement of Eric Dinowitz for City Council in the March 23rd special election,” said Riley.

 

He went on to say that Dinowitz had served his community well as district leader, and would be a champion for progressive values in the council. “His record of public service speaks for itself. I believe that a public school special education teacher in the City Council would give the working families of the Bronx a voice in government, and Eric will be ready on day one to fight for them,” added Riley. “As one of the newest members of the Council, I look forward to working with him to deliver for Bronx seniors and working families.”

 

Meanwhile, Dinowitz said he shared a common vision for a better Bronx with Riley, and that he was excited about the possibility of working with Riley in the City Council. “I know he will be a great partner on getting the vaccine to our community and prioritizing our recovery. This endorsement from a new voice in our government is meaningful to me,” Dinowitz said.

 

On March 3, it was announced that district leader had also received the backing of UAW Region 9, LiUNA/ Mason Tenders, BAC Local 1 and 7, and SEIU NYC Local 246. Beverley Brakeman is regional director of United Auto Workers Region 9A regional director and said Dinowitz had proven time and again that he’ll fight for workers. “As a former labor leader himself, we know that Eric has a deep commitment to protecting union jobs, securing livable wages and combating efforts to strip workers of their rights,” Brakeman said. “We’re proud to endorse Eric and share his vision for a just recovery from the pandemic.”

 

Meanwhile, according to Dinowitz’s campaign, in a letter written by LiUNA to Dinowitz, union representatives wrote, “Our process was held jointly by the New York State Laborers PAC and the Mason Tenders District Council PAC.” They added, “Together, these two entities make up what is now LIUNA-NY, and represent more than 40,000 members across the state. An endorsement from LIUNA-NY reflects your support of workers and their families.”

 

BAC Local 1 and 7; Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers; and SEIU NYC Local 246, represents 1,350 active and 900 retired members who maintain and repair vehicles for several agencies throughout the city.

 

On March 8, Dinowitz got an additional nod of approval from former U.S. Congresswoman Liz Holtzman, who has also served as the Kings County District Attorney and New York City Comptroller. Holtzman said Dinowitz is ready to fight to get the vaccine to underserved communities, help small businesses get relief, and make sure older adults have the resources they need.

 

“Eric has real plans to help the Northwest Bronx and its recovery,” she said. “He has shown a deep commitment to his community through his years of service as a public school special education teacher, a Democratic district leader, and chair of Community Board 8’s aging committee. I stand with Eric, and know he will be an energetic and effective leader for us.”

 

Dinowitz acknowledged the endorsement, saying Holtzman had an incredible career in public service at the city, county, and federal levels. “I am honored that she has confidence in my ability to lead my district in the City Council, and I will emulate her dedication to New Yorkers when I get to City Hall,” he said.

 

On March 9, another union, TWU Local 100, also endorsed the special education teacher. The union represents essential workers and their president is Tony Utano, who said the city’s transit workers have a friend in Dinowitz. “I know he will support us as our city recovers from the pandemic. He has been a longtime labor and community activist that has brought needed change to the Northwest Bronx, including fighting for accessible transportation,” Utano said.

 

“Our essential workers have risked their lives to keep our city moving this past year, and we know that Eric has our back as we fight for safe working conditions and dignity on the job,” he added.

 

For this part, Dinowitz said transit workers had risked their lives to stay on the job throughout the pandemic, and he was proud that TWU Local 100 had given him their support. “One of my top priorities is expanding accessibility for our transportation system, and I stand with our bus and subway operators that have dedicated their careers to getting people where they need to go,” he said. “I am excited to get the endorsement of this union that stands up for essential workers.”

 

Dinowitz, who was previously profiled by the Norwood News, is a father of twins. According to his campaign, he has lived in the Northwest Bronx his entire life and is raising his family there.

 

Candidates in the District 11 special election race were required to gather a minimum number of signatures from local residents in order to qualify for the ballot in the special election. As reported by the Norwood News, that minimum had been 450 signatures until Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Jan. 7 that he was reducing it to 315.

 

Some candidates had raised concerns about the impact of the signature collection process on people’s health, and had called for for the minimum signature requirement to be waived amid fears of exacerbating the spread of the coronavirus through mass person-to-person contact. District 11 special election candidates, Mino Lora, and Jessica Haller, each announced at separate stages that they had each previously contracted the virus.

 

Meanwhile, social worker and adjunct Columbia professor, Abigail Martin, and district leader in the 80th Assembly District, Marcos Sierra, announced in January that they had dropped out of the March special election, citing health related risks linked to the coronavirus, but said they still plan to participate in the June primary.

 

A Board of Elections public hearing was held on Feb. 4 to assess which candidates had collated the minimum number of signatures needed to proceed. Besides Dinowitz, according to the New York City Board of Elections, there are five other candidates in the District 11 special election race.

 

 

In terms of independent spenders in the District 11 race, “Laborers Building a Better New York” have paid out $8,156 in political ads in support of the Dinowitz campaign. Independent spenders are organizations or persons that pay out money to produce or distribute campaign materials for a specific candidate’s political campaign, without coordinating with or seeking approval from that particular candidate. Behind this group are Anthony Vita, Grievance Director, Laborers Local 79 and Joseph Bianco, Field Representative at Mason Tenders, New York.