NewsWhore
07-16-2009, 04:00 PM
New York State Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat has endorsed Ydanis Rodriguez for the New York City Council seat vacated by Miguel Martinez in Washington Heights, Manhattan.
Espaillat's decision, announced yesterday, followed Martinez's abrupt resignation from his NYC Council seat on Tuesday due to an anticipated indictment by the US Attorney's office relating to a slush fund scandal involving Martinez.
Rodriguez, an educator and grass roots organizer who has run for city council numerous times since 2001, is considered one of the front-runners in the crowded field of candidates as he has raised more money than any other candidate in the race.
Rodriguez is best known for organizing the "Dominicans 2000" Conferences in 2000 and 2001, a national youth conference at City College of NY.
As for Espaillat (who is the first Dominican ever elected to a state legislature in US history), his endorsement of Rodriguez may potentially re-open some political wounds with Linares. During the 1990s Linares and Espaillat were political adversaries, but they patched things up in 2003 after Espaillat endorsed Linares when Linares ran for NY State Senate (he lost that race to current State Senator Eric Schneiderman).
An endorsement by Espaillat carries political weight for Rodriguez given that Espaillat has represented the district since 1997.
Linares was the first Dominican elected to public office in US history when he was elected to the NYC Council in 1991 and served until he was term-limited in 2001.
Yesterday, Linares resigned as NYC Commissioner for Immigrant Affairs to run for his old council seat. He is also likely to be endorsed by NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg in the city council race.
If Bloomberg endorses Linares, it would also carry political weight in the race since the billionaire mayor commands a wide 22-point lead for his own re-election race against his opponent, NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson, according to a New York Times poll.
www.politickerny.com/4503/jockeying-martinezs-seat (http://www.politickerny.com/4503/jockeying-martinezs-seat)
http://newyorkblips.dailyradar.com/story/... (http://newyorkblips.dailyradar.com/story/poll_shows_big_bloomberg_lead_over_thompson/)
www.politickerny.com/4474/... (http://www.politickerny.com/4474/many-candidates-miguel-martinezs-seat)
www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2009/07/... (http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2009/07/espaillat-for-rodriguez.html)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#13)
Espaillat's decision, announced yesterday, followed Martinez's abrupt resignation from his NYC Council seat on Tuesday due to an anticipated indictment by the US Attorney's office relating to a slush fund scandal involving Martinez.
Rodriguez, an educator and grass roots organizer who has run for city council numerous times since 2001, is considered one of the front-runners in the crowded field of candidates as he has raised more money than any other candidate in the race.
Rodriguez is best known for organizing the "Dominicans 2000" Conferences in 2000 and 2001, a national youth conference at City College of NY.
As for Espaillat (who is the first Dominican ever elected to a state legislature in US history), his endorsement of Rodriguez may potentially re-open some political wounds with Linares. During the 1990s Linares and Espaillat were political adversaries, but they patched things up in 2003 after Espaillat endorsed Linares when Linares ran for NY State Senate (he lost that race to current State Senator Eric Schneiderman).
An endorsement by Espaillat carries political weight for Rodriguez given that Espaillat has represented the district since 1997.
Linares was the first Dominican elected to public office in US history when he was elected to the NYC Council in 1991 and served until he was term-limited in 2001.
Yesterday, Linares resigned as NYC Commissioner for Immigrant Affairs to run for his old council seat. He is also likely to be endorsed by NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg in the city council race.
If Bloomberg endorses Linares, it would also carry political weight in the race since the billionaire mayor commands a wide 22-point lead for his own re-election race against his opponent, NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson, according to a New York Times poll.
www.politickerny.com/4503/jockeying-martinezs-seat (http://www.politickerny.com/4503/jockeying-martinezs-seat)
http://newyorkblips.dailyradar.com/story/... (http://newyorkblips.dailyradar.com/story/poll_shows_big_bloomberg_lead_over_thompson/)
www.politickerny.com/4474/... (http://www.politickerny.com/4474/many-candidates-miguel-martinezs-seat)
www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2009/07/... (http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2009/07/espaillat-for-rodriguez.html)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#13)