Campaigning for State Assembly in the 51st District ramped up yesterday as both Felix Ortiz and challenger Ceasar Zuniga received help from other local elected officials.
The 51st AD includes Red Hook and Sunset Park, roughly approximating the City Council district represented by Carlos Menchaca. Menchaca, who unseated long term incumbent Sara Gonzalez with a surprising victory in last year’s primary showed up to campaign with Zuniga at the 36th Street subway station. Up until now he had expressed no preference in the race, saying that he was too new a legislator to make endorsements.
Despite that, early on he joined Nydia Velazquez in endorsing Jo Anne Simon to succeed outgoing Assembly member Joan Millman in the neighboring 52nd AD. Yesterday he changed his mind and endorsed challenger Zuniga.
Speaking in front of a small press contingent right outside the bus shelter, Menchaca said that Zuniga would help to “clean up Albany.” He said that Zuniga would bring his progressive credentials to the state legislature, and that the two of them would make a great team. “Fresh blood” is needed, he went on to say. Asked whether he would would with whoever wins, whether it be Felix Ortiz or Ceasar Zuniga, Menchaca replied in the affirmative, saying that he had no criticism of Ortiz, but that he felt Zuniga could do better.
Speaking next, Zuniga, claiming to have knocked on 25,000 doors during the past few months of campaigning, said that rising rents were a major topic on voter’s minds. He pledged to work for a working waterfront, and would not support mixed zoning on the waterfront. He said that he did not enter the race to promote his name, “we got into this race to win.” He has stated previously that he was inspired by Menchaca’s victory last year. Zuniga, a member of Community Board 7 and a researcher for early childhood education, has participated in government previously, serving as an elected official in the Passaic, NJ school system.
The Zuniga event occurred during the morning rush hour. The same commuters were met by a different political duo on their arrival back home from work. Starting around 4:30, incumbent Felix Ortiz, dressed in his trademark light blue shirt and dark blue tie on this hot late summer day, was joined by always smartly dresssed Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, fresh from a family vacation. The two hobnobbed with locals – those who knew Felix were introduced to Nydia, and those who knew Nydia being introduced to Felix, often in Spanish.
Velazquez, who loves a good race, exhorted citizens to tell all their friends and family to go out and vote Tuesday, and to vote for Felix Ortiz, who has served the community for twenty years. Both were animated and seemed to enjoy meeting the public this way.
Early this morning (September 4), Menchaca, flexing his newly found endorsement muscles, came back to Fourth Avenue to endorse Rubain Dorancy, who is running against Jesse Hamilton for Borough President Eric Adams former State Senate seat (20th District). Dorancy also has endorsements from Mayor De Blasio and two of Menchaca’s city council pals, Jumaane Williams and Antonio Reynoso, while Hamilton has support from Brad Lander, Steve Levin and the Borough President.
