The Fate of Rosie Mendez’s Seat – and Other Campaign Headlines for Tuesday August 8

In Manhattan, District Leader Maps Redrawn Last Minute and Hard to Find
Gotham Gazette
“While much of the media and public’s attention is focussed on New York’s mayoral and City Council races, lesser known elections are also slated to take place this fall. On primary day, September 12, and election day, November 7, New Yorkers will vote on their district leaders. While the position is part-time and unpaid, it comes with a degree of influence and is often a stepping stone to greater political posts…This year, several candidates for district leader positions say that a last minute redrawing of the Manhattan election district map sparked confusion and misinformation just days before the June ballot petitioning period kicked off…For non-incumbents, unless they are very knowledgeable about the process, obtaining this information is even harder.”

Development is Top Issue in Race for New York City Council Seat
City Limits
Mayor de Blasio’s proposed neighborhood rezonings are an issue in Council races for East Harlem and the area around Jerome Avenue in the Bronx, where community skeptics are grilling candidates to see who’s a reliable ally in resisting the administration’s plans. At the tip of Manhattan, where incumbent Councilwoman Margaret Chin is seeking a third and final term, zoning looms large, but in a different way. There, it’s anger over a rezoning that didn’t happen that Chin’s opponents are using against her…Chin’s opponents say the Two Bridges fiasco would never have occurred if Chin had fought harder for the Chinatown Working Group plan.

City Council Primary Race Twist: Only 2 Candidates Receive Matching Funds
Kings County Politics
“In a turn of events no one saw coming, only two out of the almost dozen candidates in the race for the 41st City Council District received matching funds last week from the City’s Campaign Finance Board (CFB). Last Thursday the CFB issued its first round of matching public funds for the Sept. 12 2017 primary elections which went to Alicka Ampry-Samuel and Henry Butler…Among the top-tier candidates that surprisingly didn’t get matching funds were East Flatbush Democratic District Leader Cory Provost, and dark horse candidate Diedre Olivera. Candidates that didn’t receive funding have until Aug. 11 to amend and/or fix any problems with their fundraising filings, and may get funding on Aug. 17.”

As Moya’s Prospects Increase, So Do Ecuadoreans’ Clout in the City
El Diario and Queens Latino Staff (As Reposted by Voices of NY
“Moya became the only Ecuadorean-American politician in the country to run for a high-level seat of this kind…Two Latinos, Francisco Moya and Hiram Monserrate, will vie for the District 21 seat in the New York City Council (…) in the upcoming Sept. 12 Democratic primary. Queens Latino took a walk around the district’s streets, which includes the neighborhoods of East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Corona, LaGuardia, LeFrak City and part of Flushing Meadows Park, in addition to Roosevelt and 37th Avenue up to 82nd Street. ‘I am undecided. Monserrate has a criminal history and Francisco’s ideas only benefit large corporations. Right now, I don’t know who I will vote for,’ said 34-year-old Verónica Arteaga as she walked in Corona. Her opinion represents the generalized sentiment among voters.”

On the Lower East Side, Council Contenders Seek to Upend Favorite for Open Seat
Gotham Gazette
“One of the 10 “open” City Council seat races is taking place on the East Side of Manhattan, in District 2, currently represented by Rosie Mendez, who is term-limited out of office. Several candidates, including Mendez’s preferred successor, Carlina Rivera, are competing in the Democratic primary, which will determine who holds the seat next given it is a staunchly Democratic district. Rivera, Mendez’s former legislative director, has a good deal of momentum and support from the Democratic establishment…But Rivera is facing serious competition from other candidates, including Ronnie Cho, a strong fund-raiser, in the district that is largely made up of the Lower East Side.”