Everything you need to know for the June 23 primary
from Page 3
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Kingsbridge Heights, Bedford Park,
and Belmont
Jose Rivera, the incumbent
has been in offi ce since 2001 and is
running for reelection in the 78th
Assembly District. He has served
as deputy majority whip and assistant
majority whip.
Newcomer Francisco Spies is
looking to dethrone Rivera.
“It’s time for a change. We’ve
been idle for 30 years and I need
your support to bring a real voice
to Albany,” Spies said on his Youtube
page. “Let us stop the status
quo. The change is now, elect me
as your next State Assemblyman
because I will fi ght for you. Our
community is lacking a strong
voice to solve our problems, and
I am that person to provide that
strong voice. The voice of the people
will be heard!”
State Assembly
District 79
Areas: Concourse Village, Morrisania,
Melrose, Belmont, Claremont
and East Tremont
Assemblyman Michael Blake is
vacating this seat as he is running
for Congress in the 15th District.
There are six newcomers hoping
to fi ll the void: George Alvarez,
Cynthia Cox, Chantel Jackson,
Dion Powell, Elvis Santana and
Eric Stevenson.
Alvarez 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. Alvarez was
also a 2016 candidate for District 17
of the New York City Council.
Cox is a minister and has served
as District Leader of the 79th District
since 2008. Cox serves as DC
37 union member and delegate,
member of the National Council of
Negro Women (NCNW), a member
of the NAACP and active NAACP
Bronx Branch member, a chairperson
of the Neighborhood Advisory
Board and a board member
of a number of charities and business
groups.
Jackson is a United Federation
of Teachers member, a licensed
social worker, a college professor
and a published author. She went
from being a teen mom to helping
young adults.
Powell helped start the Bronx
Young Democrats and became the
chair of the Caucus of Color for the
New York State Young Democrats.
Powell was the community liaison
to the Bronx for Assemblyman
Blake for three years.
Santana, born and raised in
Morrisania knows the struggles
the community is facing.
In 2015, he was the fi rst and
only to be chosen from the White
House Reach High Initiative by
Michelle Obama to talk about his
own accomplishments and how
his involvement with the community
matters.
Santana has helped over 3,000
young men and women fi nd employment,
while also creating relationships
with local businesses
that have helped reduce the lowincome
poverty rate in New York.
Stevenson, a former assemblyman,
spent three years in prison
for pocketing bribes and helping
developers open adult day care
centers. He served in the Assembly
from 2011 to 2014.
He was a community coordinator
and liaison to Community
Board 3 for Borough President
Fernando Ferrer and worked as a
legislative researcher for the City
Council Speaker.
State Assembly
District 81
Areas: Kingsbridge, Norwood,
Riverdale, Van Cortlandt Village,
Wakefi eld and Woodlawn
For the fi rst time in 25 years,
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz
is facing a democratic challenger,
Dinowitz has served since the
81st Assembly District since 1994.
He chairs the Assembly Committee
on Judiciary. He also serves
on the Rules, Health and Election
Law committees. Dinowitz previously
chaired the Committees
on Corporations, Authorities and
Commissions, Consumer Affairs
and Protection, Aging and Alcoholism
and Drug Abuse.
Newcomer George Diaz hopes
to knock him off. Diaz is a former
staffer to former Councilman Oliver
Koppell and a law clerk.
State Assembly
District 82
Areas: Co-op City, Throggs
Neck, Westchester Square, City Island,
Country Club and Pelham
Bay
This race features incumbent
Michael Benedetto against
Egidio Sementilli. Benedetto
has represented District 82 for 15
years. Benedetto was a teacher for
35 years and as a legislator, has
focused on educational and child
protection issues and has been an
ardent supporter of union rights.
Sementilli’s experience includes
work as a community representative
for the U.S. Department
of Commerce, the publisher
and founder of The Bronx Advo-
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