Chelsea: 242 West 23RD��������������������������������������������������
�� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� �� ��
Fordham (Little Italy)����������������������������������������������������������������������������
Lenox Hill����������������������������������������������������������������������
������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF LOCATIONS AND HOURS, GO TO NECB.COM
MELISSA MARK-VIVERITO, from p. 16
that has been heard around the world and has
made its message clear: the government must
serve you and NOT corporations, hedge funds,
and special interests. That’s why I’m running
for Congress, and I’m asking for your support.”
To that end, Mark-Viverito is making two
signifi cant campaign pledges. She noted in her
Bronx Free Press piece that she is supporting
Medicare for All, and she told The City she is
rejecting campaign contributions from corporate
PACs and real estate developers.
Embracing Medicare for All has emerged
as a popular stance in the party in response
to discontent over Obamacare plans that have
become riddled with rising premiums, high deductibles,
and shoddy healthcare coverage. Local
voters made their voices heard on the issue
last year when it was a major part of Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez’s platform during her successful
campaign to unseat Joe Crowley in the
14th Congressional District. Notably, the 15th
Congressional District is among the poorest in
the nation, which could indicate that there is a
considerable population of folks who have experience
with Obamacare plans.
It is not immediately clear where other candidates
in the race specifi cally stand on healthcare
reform.
Despite a packed fi eld of candidates, Torres
jumped out as the clear-cut frontrunner in campaign
cash as of the fi rst campaign fi ling last
month, having raised a whopping $522,000.
Sixty-one of his donations came from the
Bronx — the most among candidates — while
Diaz yielded a larger percentage of boroughbased
donors, even as he totaled just $80,766
in his fi rst fi ling. Blake received contributions
from just seven Bronx-based donors as part his
$120,941 haul in the fi rst fi ling.
Although Mark-Viverito invoked the LGBTQ
community on multiple occasions as she
launched her campaign, Torres has gained signifi
cant LGBTQ-based support early on. The
Equality PAC, which is the political branch of
the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, and
the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which helps elect
out candidates at all levels of government, are
among those that have endorsed him. He also
received donations from out gay Rhode Island
Representative David Cicilline and his PAC.
LAYLEEN POLANCO, from p.12
and comes during a time when transgender and
gender non-conforming people have endured
especially dangerous conditions behind bars.
Johana Medina of El Salvador died just days
before Polanco — on June 1 — after landing in
the hospital while in the custody of federal Immigration
and Customs Enforcement, and last
year Roxsana Hernandez of Honduras died in a
hospital after allegedly suffering bruises consistent
with abuse while in ICE custody.
GayCityNews.com | August 15 - August 28, 2019 17
/NECB.COM
/GayCityNews.com
