Bronx 15th. If Not Radame, WHO?

February 2, 2013


So last week, we received an email from Radame Perez indicating he WILL NOT be seeking the seat that is being vacated by current Councilman Joel Rivera (I think everyone at this point knows, Joel is term-limited and thus unable to seek same seat).

While we believed that Perez would have been the most viable candidate, we respect his decision and wish him continued success in his business and many congrats on the soon-to-arrive birth of twins.

Now, let us look at the other possible candidates.

First, there has been strong rumors that current Executive Director of the Bronx Democratic Party Ischia Bravo is (possibly) interested. Bravo has expressed strong interest (among her close friends) that she would like to run for State Assembly seat held by the former Chair of the Bronx Dems and Joel's father, Jose Rivera. As Bravo prepared for possible race (against Goliath), the elder Rivera proved to be wiser than the mid-30s single mom by making sure that the final lines of the district removed Bravo's residence (more details on that here). Clever, clever, clever!

In the 15th, IF she decides to throw her hat in the already-crowded race, it is obvious that Bravo will enjoy the support of the Bronx political establishment. This could, however, stir the pot that eventually brought down the former Chair (Jose Rivera) since there are two candidates of Dominican descent that have already declared (or have been fundraising for this), Yudelka Tapia and Raquel Batista, both Dominican-Americans. On a side note, we heard that Bravo had a tantrum at the last meeting of the Bronx Young Democrats last week, when one of the attendees raised an issue dealing with parking in the neighborhood (by Montefiore Hospital). We suppose she may have taken offense (do not see how or why) but our sources confirmed that she went on for a good five-minutes talking about how "we need to be the change we want to see" and talking (or was it shouting?) about residents joining the community boards, which we know they are becoming less and less meaningful in terms of affecting "change" in our communities. Bravo, if in fat you had a tantrum because a concern raised by one of the residents, then you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. Be careful...and always smile!

We doubt this is something Chairman Carl Heastie is concerned with (at least for now) but we must keep in mind that this was, and we repeat, what eventually led to a revolt by some a few years ago that allowed for Heastie to be where he is today. Something to keep in mind.

In the event that Bravo decides it is also not her time, Tapia (current District Leader in the 86th Assembly District) would probably have a better chance of being the party's favorite. Tapia however, has a few problems of her own. First, she needs to account for a little over $70,000 that she spent but has no receipts to account for, which could mean she needs to raise enough to pay this amount to the Campaign Finance Board AND then for the campaign. This if she wants to qualify for matching funds which from her fundraising history, she NEEDS in order to stand a chance of winning. With only a few months to go, she better get going. Second, this is not her first or second or third time she makes a run for office, and lost. The saying of try until you get there is not really applicable in politics, or Bronx politics at least. One can only wonder until when will her supporters continue to invest in failed campaigns. Finally, Tapia does not reside in the district (which is OK to run since the district lines were recently redrawn due to figures from the Census). The 86th Assembly District only covers like 10% (maybe) of the 15th Council District she's trying to represent so to most voters, she's a complete stranger. Nonetheless, she is a very strong candidate who probably is more aware of the issues affecting the community.

Albert Alvarez, Joel's Chief of Staff, has also put his name in the mix. However, he did not report any fundraising and for those who have had the opportunity to speak and mingle with Alvarez, we know he is not a politician, or anything close to that. Definitely a great Chief of Staff but his prospects of seeking AND winning public office are very very slim. Even if his boss decides to support him, at this point in the game, it will prove very challenging for Alvarez to raise enough to become a viable candidate. However, if Heastie, Bravo and the Bronx Party throws its support behind him, he then stands a chance.

William Rivera may have the same last name as the current office holder but that may not be enough for him. Or it may be. The district has a high population of seniors who for the last twenty years, have been voting for a Rivera. This is likely to get him a few hundred or thousand votes. But his ability to fundraise and lack of community connections may prevent him from either getting on the ballot or elected in September.

Finally, there's Raquel Batista. Batista is sort of a newcomer in Bronx politics. She's more known in the circles of Washington Heights. We were (and remain) surprised that Batista decided to jump in the race as well since by doing so, she hinders the chances of Tapia. Is Batista out to make sure her fellow countrywoman (Tapia) is not elected? This is only one of the rumors out and about in Bronx and Washington Heights circles. One can only wonder why Batista believes she's a stronger candidate than Tapia given that the latter is well-established in Bronx politics.

The 'dimes y diretes' are ongoing folks. Let's see who Heastie and the Bronx Democratic (?) Party decides to support. It might prove wise to avoid the possibility of accusations that the Bronx Democratic Party is an anti-Dominican machine and go with Tapia. Only Heastie and his inner circle can decide that.

As always, we encourage you to share and comment in our posts. We apologize for not being more active but like everyone else, we also have other things to do!

*Note: Apologies for any typos.

So IF 'Rubencito' Goes (for citywide office), who's next?

It's no secret that our Borough President is considering a possible run for citywide office, specifically for Public Advocate in next year's elections. For the sake of argument, let's assume he FINALLY makes a decision and goes for it, who will be the anointed child of the Bronx Democratic County Committee and its Chairman, Carl "anything to keep the peace" Heastie? 

Let us explore a few possibilities:

One of the names is that of NW Bronx Councilman (and Pastor) Fernando Cabrera, who was elected in 2009, after narrowly defeating incumbent Maria Baez. While Councilman (or shall we say Pastor?) Cabrera is a possible ideal choice, some question his loyalty to the current leadership of the Party. His views, as a Pastor, are very conservative and this is not the view of the Bronx Democratic Party (machine) which creates a problem for Chairman Heastie and his leadership. As of this date, Cabrera only has $19,180 in the bank for a race that could very well go into the hundreds of thousands. He would need to step up his fundraising yesterday to stand a real shot at becoming our next Borough President.

Another name that has been rumored for some time now, is that of NW Bronx Assemblyman Nelson "whatever-it-takes-to-get-re-elected" Castro. We must admit that when this first came to our 'news-desk', we could not stop laughing. Assemblyman Castro for Borough President? A major milestone for Dominican community. And while it never hurts to throw your name in the hat, Castro has enough baggage, political and personal, to fill a container from the Sanitation Department. Yes, he might be pleasant, has charisma and loves hugging everyone but really, who does he think he is? Assemblyman Castro was hand-picked by former ousted Chair of the Bronx Democratic Party Jose Rivera in his efforts to look more, um, diverse. yes, he did win a candidate supported by the current leadership in 2010 but let's be honest, that candidate (Hector Ramirez) did not stand a real chance against Castro. Castro first must prove his leadership and as of this moment, no hugs or charisma will convince Chairman Heastie that he is their man to lead Borough Hall.

And the last, is NE Bronx Councilman Jimmy Vacca. Vacca is a prodigious fundraiser and has over $285,448 in the bank. This is no chump change folks. This week, it was rumored that the Diaz clan - Borough President and his dad, Senator (and also Pastor) Diaz - may have made a deal with to support Vacca for Borough President. This would be a Blessing for Vacca. Problem is, he would be running in a borough which is made up of mostly Latino. Read The Perez Notes for more details on this. How would a last name Vacca do vs. a Cabrera and/or Castro in the Bronx? That is the question!

Let us just say that there may be other possible candidates but these three are the ones we hear 'in the streets.'

A MUST READ: This week's 'BORO BEAT'

Councilwoman behind Dem Boss downfall slapped with 73G campaign tab

By Bob Kappstatter

October 25, 2012

The woman behind Assemblyman Jose Rivera’s downfall as Bronx Democratic county leader owes the city Campaign Finance Board some big bux.

It slapped former west Bronx Councilwoman Maria Baez last week with almost $73,000 in penalties and a bill for unspent matching funds from the 2009 race she lost to current Morris Heights Councilman Fernando Cabrera.

It also hit Yudelka Tapia, female district leader in the 86th Assembly District there, with a $107,704 bill for penalties and unspent funding from that same 2009 council race.

READ COMPLETE COLUMN HERE

WHO'S REPLACING JOEL RIVERA IN THE 15TH?

While most of the attention is on the candidates for Mayor in 2013, we must also remember that voters will be voting for their City Council representatives. In the Bronx, we are keeping our eyes on a few City Council races. Today, we'll focus our attention to Council District 15, currently represented by Councilman & Majority Leader Joel Rivera. 

In 2001, Joel was elected in a special election to fill the seat (formerly held by his father Jose Rivera) and became the youngest elected official in the City of New York at the age of 22. In 2009, he was rumored to be considering a run for Bronx Borough President. While he's term-limited (unable to run for the seat again), he's still sitting on a campaign war chest of $208,262.00 (as of 10/24/12). This puts him in a very comfortable position to seek Borough Hall next year. 

No, we here at CBP doubt he will challenge current Borough President Ruben "Rubencito" Diaz, Jr. This scenario is in the event that 'Rubencito' decides (finally) to seek higher office, such as Public Advocate (many political observes have publicly stated he's not ready for prime time just yet). He is sitting on $886,865 (as of 10/14/12) so he has nothing to loose and everything to gain. Did we mention that if he does decide to go for Public Advocate, he would be the only Latino on the ticket for city-wide seat? 

And yes, there's always the possibility that Joel could decide to seek his father's Assembly seat and dad will in return run for his son's seat. Gotta love Bronx politics folks. 

Now, who else would run for the 15th? Let's look at a few individuals who stand out.

Yudelka Tapia: from what our sources tell us, the perennial candidate (for almost every seat that becomes vacant) has been fundraising and telling friends she's running for Joel's district. We find that odd given she lives in Councilman Cabrera's district (who's not term-limited but, well, more on him later) and has had her base there for some time now. However, due to redistricting, she is able to run in any district (just this time).

As of today (10/24/12), she has not registered with the NYC Campaign Finance Board and thus there is no date to disclose. Yudelka is probably keeping all her options on the table. If Cabrera decides to run for Borough Hall (assuming 'Rubencito' seeks citywide office) then Yudelka MIGHT have a shot a something she has been seeking for a very long time: hold public office (being District Leader is not enough for her). 

Yudelka, in our humble opinion, is probably digging her political grave (or should we say deeper?) if she ultimately decides to run for this seat. Then again, she is an experienced, but unsuccessful, candidate. One thing we are sure is that she needs to make up her mind on which seat she ultimately wants and not be all over the place. Voters, her supporters and even the Bronx Democratic Party will eventually have wish her good luck -- on her own!

Radame Perez: Radame is the son of an influential and highly successful developer in the Bronx. They run Mastermind (they are literally all over the Bronx these days). Back in 2009, Radame was fundraising and campaigning for Joel's seat. While virtually an unknown in politics, publicly at least, Radame caught everyone's attention (particularly that of the Bronx Democratic Party) when he raised over $150,000 from June 2008 to April 2009 (yes, in only 10 months). At the end, Radame decided to hold off and while we are not sure if there was ever an agreement between him, Joel and/or Bronx Democratic Party, one thing is certain: Radame is a force to be reckoned with. 

Jose Rivera: Current Assemblyman (and former Bronx County Chair) is what many have speculated could be in the works. While we encourage everyone to seek and hold office until their bodies and minds allow them, we must also be realistic and know that those trips to Albany do take a serious toll on your body and mind when you're almost 80. 

Keep in mind that the elder Rivera held Joel's seat for more than a decade. Simply put, Jose Rivera is (or was?) a 'caudillo' in Bronx politics. Needless to say, the last name has become very familiar to older voters (especially seniors) and come election day, voters will go with the only name they have known for a very long time, for some, it has been the only name they have voted for. 

Oh, and for anyone going up against the elder Rivera, remember where he comes from: LA PERLA, Puerto Rico. And for those who know something about La Perla, we know one thing: they do not play. Want proof? When in San Juan, go, actually try, if you dare, to 'enter' La Perla. You lucky if you're allowed in and even luckier if you come out alive (of course, unless you know someone who lives there).

Tapia vs. Perez vs. Rivera: definitely worth waiting and watching how this scenario plays out in the coming months. 

UP NEXT: "Who's Replacing Helen Foster in the 16th?"

CBP will continue to keep its ears on the ground... in the meantime, let us know your thoughts. Good or not-sop good... we love democracy and freedom of speech!