In 2023, New York City’s District 13 — a historically Democratic enclave in the Northeast Bronx — flipped red. Republican Kristy Marmorato narrowly unseated Council Member Marjorie Velázquez, becoming the first GOP councilmember elected in the borough in decades. Now, with the 2025 election approaching, Democrats are mobilizing to reclaim the seat.
District 13 includes neighborhoods like Morris Park, Pelham Bay, Throggs Neck, Van Nest and City Island. The district is 62% Democratic in registration according to the NYC Board of Elections and predominantly Latino, as per the New York City Campaign Finance Board. On paper, it shouldn’t have been competitive. But Marmorato’s win, along with President Donald Trump’s gains in the Bronx in 2024, signaled that party loyalty can no longer be taken for granted in this pocket of the city.
