Breaking news…well, not really.
After over a week of what can only be described as vigorous campaigning for the new open Congressional District 10, Council Member Carlina Rivera (D – Manhattan) Wednesday “officially” launched her candidacy for the seat via press release, as reported here by PoliticsNY and elsewhere by several other outlets.
The announcement comes after Rivera has already been collecting petition signatures for several days to get on the August 23 primary ballot and attended a Stonewall Democrats of NYC District 10 candidates’ forum last week where she sounded much like someone who was already on the campaign trail.
In the release, Rivera points to her deep roots in the new District 10, which ecompasses much of lower Manhattan and several Brooklyn neighborhoods, and her record as a City Council member since 2017 as evidence for why she would make a powerful representative for the area on Capitol Hill.
“I love this city, and am deeply grateful for the support I’ve already received to run for Congress in the district that raised me,” Rivera said. “The issues New Yorkers face have only grown in their impact, but my record proves I’m well equipped to help deliver solutions as a Member of Congress, just like I have as a member of the City Council.”
In Congress, Rivera said she would draw on her experience in the City Council to help the city recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After two years of a pandemic exacerbating inequities among so many of our communities, the need for our government to adapt to a new generation and the issues we face has never been clearer — and New Yorkers are hungry for leadership and vision that’s as bold as it is pragmatic in taking on those fights,” Rivera said. “I’m running for Congress to bring that to Washington, to help build a future for our city that every New Yorker can see themselves in.”
As a Council Member, Rivera said, she was able to build coalitions and provide policy, funding and support for her district and the city at large. She did this by delivering on issues like getting more affordable housing built in Soho and Noho, fighting for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project to mitigate against the effects of climate change on the Lower East Side and championing a city program to cover abortion costs for those who can’t pay for the procedure in full.
Rivera, who grew up on the Lower East Side, claims she’s the only candidate in the race who was “born and raised” in the district. This, she said, uniquely positions her to understand the struggles of everyday New Yorkers.
In the release, Rivera announced endorsements from several elected officials including Council Member Alexa Aviles – who represents Sunset Park, Deputy Council Speaker Diana Ayala (D – Manhattan, Bronx) and former Chinatown Council Member Margaret Chin.
“Working with Carlina for the last four years gave me all the insight I need to know that she will make an incredible Congresswoman for us in NY-10,” Chin said. “We served neighboring districts in the City Council, and it was clear from day one that her deep roots in her community and the city at large are matched by her love for public service and her political will to get even the most challenging initiatives over the finish line. Co-chairing the Women’s Caucus together in 2019, I watched Carlina lead with unwavering focus as we worked to make New York City the first in the nation to allocate city funds to abortion care. Carlina is the candidate we can trust to deliver for NY-10 and I’m proud to endorse her.”
Rivera is also likely to get the backing of progressive Congress Member Nydia Velazquez (D – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens), who’s current District 7 overlaps with the new District 10.
The Council Member is entering a crowded field in CD10 going up against the likes of ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio, Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou (D – Manhattan), Congress Member Mondaire Jones (D – Westchester, Rockland County) and former city Comptroller Elizabeth Holtzman.
