A sleepy political race and quiet political machinations abut a closely-watched contest ahead of the Sept. 13 Democratic primary, which could see a dramatic shift in representation across the borough. The theme of progressivism has coursed through key races in the Bronx, thanks to political histrionics coming out of Washington, D.C.

It began with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the socialist Democrat beating established frontrunner Congressman Joe Crowley in the June 26 Democratic primary in a race that pitted an outsider against an insider.

That theme has spilled onto the race for the 34th Senate District between Alessandra Biaggi, an attorney who once worked for Governor Andrew Cuomo and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and Senator Jeff Klein, the influential incumbent lawmaker. Voters will decide who is the favorable candidate in the Sept. 13 Democratic Primary. With the Bronx overwhelmingly composed of Democratic voters, the winner of the Democratic primary usually goes on to win the November General Election.

But not all political intrigue has been chronicled in a blow-by-blow spectacle. The Norwood News brings you two races and one inside-baseball political play that have an impact on the northwest Bronx.

Fernandez: The Unopposed Candidate
On a recently humid and cloudy morning, clusters of community leaders shared remarks on the newly-minted Whalen Park in Norwood. Among them, Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez who briefly relayed the thrill in seeing it open to the neighborhood.

“I really can’t be more happy that this park is how it is,” she said. “I’m shocked.”

As an elected official, ceremonial ribbon-cuttings are par for the course. For Fernandez, a Democrat, it also functions as a campaign stop.

Fernandez, technically the interim Assemblywoman for the 80th Assembly District, is running unopposed. The district covers parts of Norwood, Allerton, Pelham Gardens, and Morris Park. In an April special election, Fernandez won the seat vacated by current city Councilman Mark Gjonaj, her former boss. Gjonaj, along with Governor Andrew Cuomo, also her former boss via her stint as Bronx Regional Representative, endorsed Fernandez for the seat.

Fernandez won over four percent of the district’s eligible Democratic vote in the special election, 1,500 more votes than her Republican challenger, Gene DeFrancis, who managed to secure more than six percent of his party’s vote.

In a predominately blue district, Fernandez, 30, has no Democratic primary opponent, and is poised to secure her seat come November.

“Even though I’m running unopposed, I’m trying to be out in the community every single day,” Fernandez told the Norwood News from the McDonald’s on East 204th Street and Perry Avenue.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony to anoint Norwood’s revamped Whalen Park was one of the many community events Fernandez believes was important for her to attend. “I’m visible. I’m letting the community know that I’m here,” she said. The prior week, Fernandez attended the unveiling of the “Norwood Column,” a public art installation on East Mosholu Parkway and Grand Concourse.

Although just three months into her tenure as an Assembly member, Fernandez knows her way around the block, having attended numerous community meetings and helping out at events sponsored by Gjonaj.

“The only new part to me,” Fernandez said, referring to her nascent role as Assemblywoman, is “the legislative process and how much communication is needed on your part. But, I caught on quick.”

In June, she introduced her first piece of legislation: a bill to disclose the mental health records of incarcerated individuals to the state’s Commission of Correction. “Mental health,” Fernandez said, “that’s definitely a growing crisis in society.” She added, “My intention is to bring to light the issues and bring solutions as best I can.”

Along with addressing what she views as a mental health epidemic, Fernandez said she’s also committed to improving the educational opportunities for people in her district, noting some schools utilize trailers to work as classrooms.

“I’m really trying to fight for funding, getting these trailers removed,” she said, “being more in tune with my superintendents and principals.”

While not specifying which schools in her district utilize trailers, Fernandez said they’re not a viable fix for overcrowding. “This is unacceptable by our city’s education system,” she said. “Attempting to teach children in a trailer is harmful to the students’ education experience.”

It’s unclear what she plans to replace the trailers with, but Fernandez intends to work with school officials to address the issue.

Fernandez is part of a new generation of Latina women reshaping New York’s political scene, like newly-elected Queens Assemblywoman Ari Espinal and Queens-Bronx Democratic candidate for Congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. And she believes more women in politics means more work gets done.

“Speaking bias-ly as a woman, I think we work incredibly hard,” Fernandez said. “Should the field be more female? I think it can only lead to more productivity.”

Judge Andrew Cohen?
For more than four years, Councilman Andrew Cohen has represented Norwood at the ready, overseeing a robust constituent services department, regularly appearing at community meetings across the 11th Council District, and carrying himself wholesome and scandal-free.

But despite his popularity among constituents, political rumblings originating in Riverdale indicate Cohen is considering a judgeship nomination that’s guaranteed, triggering a vacancy, according to several sources who spoke to the Norwood News.

Cohen, a Democrat in his second term, was upfront about the rumors, telling the Norwood News he is mulling over the prospect of serving on the bench. “If it comes this year, I’m going to be ready; if it comes next year that would be good,” Cohen said. “I’d be thrilled to serve in that capacity.”

Cohen is a trained attorney, having served as a clerk for Bronx Supreme Court Judge Edgar Walker before being elected councilman in 2013, succeeding his predecessor, Oliver Koppell.

It’s unclear what prompted Cohen to consider leaving office. A total of nine vacancies for court judge across the system—three Bronx Civil Court judgeships and six Supreme Court judgeships—are on the ballot for the September primary, increasing Cohen’s chances of obtaining a seat.

Winding the gears would be the Bronx Democratic Party, which will likely nominate Cohen to a judgeship through the Bronx judicial convention, where Bronx delegates nominate office seekers to fill vacancies for Bronx court judges, according to several political observers across the Bronx who asked not to be named. The Bronx Democratic Party can convene a judicial convention between Sept. 18 and 24 this year.

It’s a strategy the party took when securing a judgeship for former Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson, who resigned after his primary win in 2015 to become a Bronx Supreme Court judge. Johnson was appointed judge by the judicial convention. The empty district attorney slot was filled by Darcel Clark, a move largely criticized by good government groups at the time for its underhanded orchestration.

Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, who doubles as the Bronx Democratic Party chair, was unavailable for comment.

Should Cohen relinquish his seat, Mayor Bill de Blasio would have to call a special election shortly afterward. The 11th Council District covers Norwood, Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Riverdale, Van Cortlandt Village, Woodlawn, and Fieldston.

This would speed up plans for at least one challenger who already filed papers to run for Cohen’s seat in 2021, Dan Padernacht. Padernacht, an attorney who once served as chair of Community Board 8, has deep ties to the Riverdale community, a stronghold for the 11th Council District. In 2010, he ran against former State Senator Pedro Espada of the 33rd Senate District, but withdrew from the race “for the good of the Democratic party.” Gustavo Rivera ultimately won the seat.

“For me, running for City Council is an opportunity to expand my role in public service and to take the next step in public service,” Padernacht said in a recent telephone interview with the Norwood News. “For 10 years I’ve been a member of Community Board 8 and I’ve had an opportunity to get engaged in dozens—more than dozens—of local issues where we’ve been able to inform the community and help the community.”

Much of the pressing issues Padernacht would address as councilman would be the preservation of affordable housing and decreasing overcrowding in schools. His Norwood connection is limited to personal experience, having friends who grew up in the neighborhood. Padernacht intends to door knock in the neighborhood.

But Padernacht is not the Bronx Democratic Party’s main choice, according to sources. For years, speculation has abounded that Eric Dinowitz, son of longtime Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz and Cohen’s closest political ally, was positioning for the seat. Eric, a special education teacher at Walton High School and district leader in the 81st Assembly District who’s been groomed for public office, told the Norwood News he has formed a campaign committee to “be prepared for when Andy Cohen steps down.”

“Running for public office is something I want to do,” said Eric in a telephone interview. Eric said he’s been encouraged to run by community residents.

Assemblyman Dinowitz’s seat in the 81st Assembly District overlaps with the 11th Council District.

The winner of the seat could theoretically be in office for at least a decade, finishing out Cohen’s term and later completing two consecutive terms should they win election and re-election.

Political machinations aside, Padernacht intends to give it all he’s got in vying for the seat. “I’ll be at subway stations, I’ll be at bus stops introducing myself to many residents in our area,” he said. 

Klein v. Biaggi
A sliver of Bedford Park serves as the lynchpin to the 34th Senate District, where newcomer Alessandra Biaggi has mounted a challenge against incumbent and longtime legislator, state Senator Jeff Klein.

Though the neighborhood tethers the east and west portions of the district, it’s certainly not its battleground. That distinction belongs to Morris Park and Throggs Neck, strongholds that comprise a Democratic, though socially conservative, voting bloc.

For Biaggi, a progressive Democrat, being a registered Democrat isn’t enough. Espousing its principles into law is better. She’s used that premise to criticize Klein, who served as leader of the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), which dismantled in April. Biaggi, along with numerous critics, has blasted the eight-member IDC over the years, claiming it only enabled Republicans to block certain Democratically-led initiatives. The IDC has caucused solely with Republicans on legislative matters, drawing ire from progressive Democrats.

“[Klein’s] blocked progress in the state Senate for his own personal benefit,” said Biaggi in a telephone interview with the Norwood News. “He’s demonstrated through his voting record and through his lack of prioritizing bills that come to the floor, despite having the power to do it, that he doesn’t really care about that type of progress.”

Klein, in a separate interview with the Norwood News, countered Biaggi’s claims that he isn’t a ‘true blue’ Democrat.

“How someone should be judged whether or not they’re a good Democrat is whether they can deliver real Democratic priorities,” said Klein. Describing what being a Democrat means to him, Klein explained, “Well, I guess to pass important, progressive legislation. Not just stand on the sidelines and make grand promises.”

Emphasizing his record of passing and supporting progressive legislation, Klein referred to his sponsoring of bills related to paid family leave, universal pre-K, the banning of assault rifles in New York State, and his work to secure the state’s $15 minimum wage plan.

“I think these are core legislative achievements,” Klein said. “And by the way, these are core progressive achievements.”

But Biaggi, who served as an attorney in Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Counsel’s Office, has criticized Klein for not pushing for the Reproductive Health Act, which would officially stymie any future U.S. Supreme Court ruling that would override Roe v. Wade. Last month, Cuomo called on the state Senate to reconvene and vote to protect women’s reproductive rights.

Championing reproductive rights stands as one of 13 issues Biaggi highlights on her campaign website. She has also called for the repeal of the Urstadt Law, which allows state control over the city’s rent laws.

Klein has held his current position as state senator since 2004. In 2016, he was re-elected to the Senate with over 90 percent of the vote. He began his career in public office as an elected official covering Norwood in the 80th Assembly District.

Klein currently represents a Senate district that stretches across the Bronx from Riverdale to Hunt’s Point, and reaches north to Pelham in Westchester County, where Biaggi was raised. Biaggi’s grandfather was 10-term Bronx Congressman Mario Biaggi, who represented Bedford Park.

“Public service is something I grew up with in my blood,” Biaggi said. “It was just a very important part of the fabric of my identity. I also knew that it is one of the best vehicles to transform people’s lives in a very positive way.”

Klein and Biaggi have lifelong ties to the 34th Senate District, a key talking point for both candidates. Presence and borough authenticity was indeed a theme that played in the race between Congressman Joe Crowley and primary challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Crowley’s loss was largely blamed on his absence around his district, which covers the Bronx and Queens.

Political observers have drawn parallels to the Biaggi/Klein and Ocasio-Cortez/Crowley race, but Biaggi sees little similarities. “The one similarity [Ocasio-Cortez and I] have is that we are young women who are running against entrenched, incumbent men,” Biaggi said. “But, we are running in incredibly different races.”

And unlike Crowley, Klein remains omnipresent, attending a variety of neighborhood events and regularly appearing at civic meetings, a trait Biaggi says she’ll adopt if elected. “I’m from the Bronx,” Klein said. “Born and raised, educated in Bronx public schools. And I am in touch with every portion of my district.”