After polls closed on Election Night, Tuesday, June 28, on the first of two separate Primary Election Days being held in 2022 due to redistricting, New York City Board of Elections released the initial, unofficial results in the races for governor, lieutenant governor and State Assembly, as well as in the following Bronx races:

• Delegate to Judicial Convention
• Alternate Delegate to Judicial Convention
• Female State Committee
• Male State Committee
• Female District Leader
• Male District Leader
• County Committee

 

Absentee and overseas ballots still have to be counted.

 

The biggest surprise of the night was that in the Democratic primary for Assembly District 78, candidate, George Alvarez, came out on top with 42 percent of the Election Day votes (including early votes), followed by incumbent, Assemblyman José Rivera, with 31 percent, who as reported, has held the seat since 2000, having previously served in the Assembly from 1982 to 1987.

 

Asked for his reaction to his early lead knowing that Rivera has held the seat since 2000, the candidate later told Norwood News, “Jose Rivera was one of the first Latinos that worked to organize our Bronx community that has been left behind by so many. His work in community organizing in The Bronx brought much needed awareness and attention to the issues the Bronx faced decades ago when “The Bronx was burning.” I thank Jose Rivera for his commitment to our borough, and look forward to building from the path he trailblazed.”

 

We asked Alvarez what in his opinion, swayed the vote in his favor, based on the initial results. “My team and I worked tirelessly to knock on every door and speak to every person,” he said. “We did not just speak to registered voters, or just double or triple prime voters, but interacted with everyone in a community like ours, speaking to people directly, listening to their concerns, and word of mouth about you as a candidate matters more than anything else.”

 

Asked what he felt were the factors that prompted people show up and vote for him, Alvarez said, “I am running on a platform of issues that affect the people of the 78th district every day: better schools, safer streets and improving our quality of life. If you speak to anyone on the street here, and ask them what impacts them, what do they care about, or what would they like to see improved, they will mention one of those issues, and I made a commitment to the voters that I would work to improve those very same things.”

 

Should he proceed to win the seat definitively, once all the absentee and overseas votes are counted, we asked Alvarez what his priorities will be for A.D. 78. “Improving and expanding access to education for our children, making our streets safer from crime, especially gun violence, raising the quality of life for everyone,” he replied. “This means ensuring our community in The Bronx receives its fair share of services, as much as any other part of our City and State.”

 

Asked what was his election campaign strategy, he said, “The 78th district is a close-knit community, made up of many people who have called this place their home for decades. When you speak to one voter, you are also indirectly speaking to their friends and family who also live here. This means that you must build trust with voters by offering both holistic and tangible solutions to the difficulties that the working class faces here. Families want better schools for their children, they want to improve public safety for when they go out with family and friends, and when they get to their destination, they do not want to see garbage on the streets or in the parks, meaning a higher quality of life. These are the things I made a commitment to them to fight for.”

 

Asked if he was confident he would make it over the line, in terms of the remaining absentee votes and overseas votes, he said, “We must let the democratic process play out, first and foremost, always. However, I am confident that I will be the Democratic nominee for the 78th Assembly district when each vote is counted.”

 

Alvarez had been endorsed by Congressman Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and District 15 Councilman Oswald Feliz, among others. Alvarez was also a 2016 candidate for the District 17 City Council seat, currently held by Councilman Rafael Salamanca. Alvarez was defeated in the special election on February 23, 2016, and previously, he was a 2014 Democratic candidate for Assembly District 79 in the New York State Assembly.

 

We also asked Alvarez if he felt the endorsements he received were a make or break deciding factor for voters. “Endorsements matter if the endorser is someone who holds credibility with your voters,” he said. “I am proud that the endorsements I received were from people who have that credibility within my community. These are leaders who have worked non-stop to deliver for the people of The Bronx and the voters know that. With their support, I am further committed to delivering to the same high standards for the people of the 78th district.”

 

Alrarez holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in logistics and computer science. He served as vice-president of the Democrats in the Heights and is a member of the Coalition for a New Future in the Bronx, Coalition for a New Future and Child for a Violin.

 

Rivera last won his A.D. 78 seat in 2020 with over 86 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, the other A.D. 78 candidate, Emmanuel Martinez, who is chair of Bronx Community Board 7, won 25 percent of the vote. Reacting to the election night results, Martinez told Norwood News, “I am very proud of the campaign we waged, and the issues we raised. I want to thank my sponsors, who worked tirelessly for my campaign. Rest assured I will continue to fight for all the residents of the 78th assembly district.”

 

The district broadly covers an area running from Fordham Manor in the West of the borough through Bedford Park, Belmont, the New York Botanical Garden and Bronx Zoo.

 

In the governor’s Democratic primary, ahead of the remaining count of absentee and overseas ballots, incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul led with 63 percent of the vote, followed by New York City Public Advocate and candidate for governor, Jumaane Williams, with 23 percent.

 

Congressman Tom Suozzi for New York’s 3rd congressional district garnered 12 percent of the vote.

 

In the lieutenant governor’s Democratic primary race, incumbent Lieutenant Gov. Antonio Delgado led with 60 percent of the vote, followed by candidate, Ana Maria Archila, with 25 percent of the vote.

 

Delgado was appointed to the role, following the resignation of former lieutenant governor, Brian Benjamin, who, as reported, stepped down amid an alleged corruption scandal in April.

In the Democratic Primary for Assembly District 81, incumbent assemblyman, Jeffrey Dinowitz, led with 68 percent of the vote, while his challenger, mutual aid organizer, Jessica Altagracia Woolford, won 31 percent.

 

Norwood News recently reported on a debate between the two candidates hosted by BronxNet’s Gary Axelbank. The district covers Norwood, Kingsbridge, Van Cortlandt Village, Kingsbridge Heights, Wakefield, Marble Hill, Riverdale and Woodlawn.

 

Reacting to the news, Dinowitz said, “I am humbled to continue serving the people of Riverdale, Norwood, Kingsbridge, Van Cortlandt Village, Kingsbridge Heights, Marble Hill, Woodlawn, and Wakefield in the Assembly. It has been the greatest honor to serve the community that raised me, that raised my family. I’ve spent my career fighting for our progressive values and delivering, and I can’t wait to continue delivering for the North Bronx in Albany.”

 

He continued, “From protecting tenants to fighting for the environment to expanding access to healthcare and protecting abortion access, there is a lot of work ahead, but I’ve never backed down from a challenge. And I won’t start now. Thank you to everyone who has supported me during this campaign and throughout my career.”

 

He went on to mention the following individually: Torres, Espaillat, assembly member and speaker, Carl Heastie (A.D. 83), Sen. Jamaal Bailey (S.D. 36) Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Assembly Member Latoya Joyner (A.D. 77), Assembly Member Amanda Septimo (A.D. 84), Assembly Member Kenny Burgos (A.D. 85), Assembly Member Yudelka Tapia (A.D. 86), Assembly Member Manny de los Santos (A.D. 72) and Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal (A.D. 67).

 

He also thanked District 13 City Council Member Marjorie Velazquez, District 12 City Council Member Kevin Riley, District 11 City Council Member Eric Dinowitz, the assemblyman’s son, District 15 City Council Member Oswald Feliz, District 16 City Council Member Althea Stevens, and District 17 City Council Member Rafael Salamanca.

 

He also paid tribute to his “friends in labor” including 1199SEIU, 32BJ SEIU, HTC, DC 37, NYSUT, NYSNA, TWU, CWA, AFL-CIO, NYCDCC, DC 37 Local 1549, CSEA, Doctors Council, and PSC CUNY.

 

The assemblyman concluded, “Organizations fighting for a fairer, better New York for all of us, including the 504 Democratic Club, the New York League of Conservation Voters, and the Stonewall Democratic Club.”

 

Democratic Assembly Member Nathalia Fernandez (A.D. 80) ends her current term on January 1, 2023. As reported, Fernandez is running for election to the New York Senate to represent District 34, a seat currently held by State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, who, in turn, is currently running for Congress in New York’s 17th congressional district. Fernandez is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on Aug. 23.

 

Fernandez is also running for re-election to New York State Assembly in District 80. The June 28 Democratic and Working Families Party primaries for this office were canceled.

 

The district includes parts of the Norwood, Allerton, Bedford Park, Morris Park, Mosholu Parkway, Pelham Parkway, Pelham Gardens and Van Nest neighborhoods.

 

In Assembly District 82, incumbent Assemblyman Michael Benedetto led with 56 percent of the vote on Election Night, June 28, followed by Jonathan Soto with 35 percent. Norwood News recently reported on the A.D. 82 debate chaired by BronxNet’s Gary Axelbank, held on Thursday, June 9.

 

The District covers the neighborhoods of Baychester, City Island, Co-Op City, Country Club, Locust Point, Pelham Bay, and Throggs Neck. Asked for his reaction to the Election Night results in the district, Benedetto said, “I want to thank all of my supporters, from every neighborhood and of every background, for their strong validation of my campaign! A lot of money was spent in this race trying to convince Bronx voters that I was something I’m not, and my constituents looked at my record and chose to send me back to Albany to build on the good work we’ve done in our district.”

He added, “To those who chose to vote for another candidate, I want you to know that I will work hard to represent every person of our district, and I hope to earn your support in the future. My office and I continue to be here to serve every resident of the 82nd district and to fight for the resources we need.”

 

Meanwhile, when contacted for comment, Soto told Norwood News, “Our team is energized by the thousands of voters who affirmed our vision of whole communities and safe streets for the East Bronx. Though we came up short this election, our movement will apply sustained pressure to pass the Build Public Renewables Act, Good Cause Eviction and end mayoral control of schools.”

 

The candidate added, “It’s key to note that Bronx Democrats, specifically, Speaker Carl Heastie, and party boss, Jamaal Bailey, welcomed a tsunami of racist, Republican-funded attacks to smear a Latino candidate, and protect Benedetto, a white man who took Trump’s money and protected the release of his tax returns.” Norwood News reached out to the Bronx Democrats, including Bailey, as chair, for comment. Soto concluded, “We look forward to building in our communities and holding Benedetto accountable to working families in the East Bronx.”

In the Republican primary race, the Board of Elections showed Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, in the lead with 46 percent of the vote, followed by GOP favorite, Lee Zeldin, with 31 percent.

 

However, at around 10.30 p.m. on Election Night, the Associated Press called the race for Zeldin, based on their polling projections and analysis. Nick Langworthy on behalf of the New York GOP party released a statement following the announcement, saying, “I offer a huge congratulations to my friend and the next governor of the great state of New York, Lee Zeldin. No one has worked harder to earn this nomination. Congressman Zeldin got in this race early and crisscrossed the state countless times to take his message directly to voters, and they responded resoundingly.

 

He continued, “I congratulate all of the candidates on a hard-fought race, but now that the voters have spoken, it is time for everyone to unite around our shared mission of defeating Kathy Hochul and saving our state.”

 

Langworthy concluded, saying, “Kathy Hochul is right that she is a ‘Joe Biden Democrat’–incompetent and out-of-touch. This election is going to be decided on the economic and crime crises created by one-Party Democrat rule. Voters are ready to deliver a reckoning and will wipe clean the stain of the Cuomo-Hochul reign and usher in a new era of prosperity, safety, and freedom with the Zeldin-Esposito ticket.”

 

Rob Astorino garnered 14 percent of the vote. He had previously organized a rally outside the constituency office of Jeffrey Dinowitz, to oppose the assemblyman’s stance on a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for public schools. Some protestors at the rally were seen carrying anti-Semitic imagery, including yellow stars and swastikas. The rally was widely condemned by officials across the State.

 

In the Democratic female district leader’s race for A.D. 81, Abigail Martin led with 53 percent of the vote, followed by Sara Liss with 32 percent.

 

As reported, Martin ran for City Council in District 11 in 2021, winning 14 percent of the vote but ultimately losing out to now Councilman Eric Dinowitz.

 

 

Reacting to the Election Night results, she told Norwood News, “Although we are still waiting for the results of [the] election to be finalized, the preliminary results show that Democrats in the Northwest Bronx were ready for new leadership. Now more than ever, we need every Democrat to be engaged and involved in democracy. I look forward to making good on my campaign promises, and continuing to build community as we fight for our core values.”

 

Martin added, “I want to thank my running mates, Ramdat Singh, Aaron Stayman and Morgan Evers, and all of our supporters, who worked day and night to reach voters in every corner of our district. Most importantly, I would like to thank every voter who came out to be part of the democratic process to bring positive change to our community.”

In the Democratic female district leader’s race for A.D. 78, Maria Gonzalez led with 58 percent of the vote, followed by Jasmin Clavasquin-Cruz with 24 percent.

 

In the Democratic female district leader’s race for A.D. 84, Carmen Arroyo led with 46 percent of the vote, followed by Yolanda Garcia with 29 percent.

 

The district broadly covers the neighborhoods of Highbridge, Mott Haven and Hunts Point.

 

In the Democratic county committee 043 race in A.D. 87, Julia Rodriguez led with 25 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

Assembly District 87 broadly covers Castle Hill, Parkchester and Van Nest and parts of Crotona and Soundview.

 

In the Democratic county committee 043 race in A.D. 81, Fiona Crisp led with 24 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic county committee 042 race in A.D. 81, Elizabeth Dwyer led with 25 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic county committee 035 race in A.D. 81, Beverly Fettman led with 26 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic county committee 025 race, in A.D. 81, Jessica Haller led with 26 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only. Haller previously ran in the 2021 District 11 City Council race, placing third in the special election that year and ultimately losing out to now City Councilman Eric Dinowitz.

 

Haller had received an endorsement from Biaggi in the City Council race. She dropped out ahead of the Democratic primary election the same year, taking up a position with 21 in ’21, a group which focused on electing 21 female candidates to City Council in 2021. In the end, the latest cohort of female city council members was the largest in the history of the council. Collectively, they represent the majority of members with 31 female city council members elected out of a total of 51. The council is led by Speaker Adrienne Adams.

 

In the Democratic race for delegate for the judicial convention in A.D. 84, Lillian Rodriguez led with 8 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic race for delegate for the judicial convention in A.D. 78, Jose Rivera led with 11 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic male district leader race in A.D. 87, William Rivera led with 70 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic primary for Assembly District 86, incumbent, Tapia, led with 81 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

The district consists of the neighborhoods of University Heights, Morris Heights, Mount Eden, Kingsbridge, Tremont and Fordham in the Bronx.

In the Democratic primary for Assembly District 84, incumbent assembly member, Amanda N. Septimo, led with 49 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic male state committee race in A.D. 84, Miguel Torres led with 72 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic male state committee race in A.D. 81, Michael Heller led with 56 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

Heller is the president of the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club.

 

In the Democratic female state committee race in A.D. 84, Anya Martinez led with 39 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic male state committee race in A.D. 78, Rafael Matos led with 70 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic female state committee race in A.D. 81, Morgan Evers led with 37 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic female State committee race in A.D. 78, Rachel Miller-Bradshaw led with 56 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

Miller-Bradshaw is founder of Friends of Devoe Park as well as being president of the political organization, Northwest Bronx Democrats For Change, which actively campaigned for, among others, Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY13), Mayor Eric Adams, and District 15 City Councilman Oswald Feliz, in recent elections.

 

In the Democratic male district leader race in A.D. 84, Hector Feliciano led with 35 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic male district leader race in A.D. 82, James Payne led with 62 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic male district leader race in A.D. 81, Ramdat Singh led with 51 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

In the Democratic male district leader primary race in A.D. 78, Angel Santana led with 76 percent of the vote on Election Night, based on early voting and Election Day votes only.

 

 

Editor’s Note: In an earlier version of this story, we reported that Rachel Miller-Bradshaw was a member of Friends of Poe Park. In fact she is the founder of Friends of Devoe Park. We apologize for this error.