Espaillat Wins Backing Of Senator Klein And Assemblyman Gjonaj In Congressional Run

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[Elections 2014]

New York State Senator Jeffrey D. Klein (SD-34) and New York State Assemblymember Mark Gjonaj (AD-80) have announced their support for Adriano Espaillat in the NY-13 Congressional Primary, adding to a series of Bronx endorsements.

This support comes in the wake of several major labor union endorsements including RWDSU, DC 9, UFT and HTC who announced their support earlier this month and joins a broad coalition of support for Espaillat from across the District.

“I am pleased to announce my support for my friend and longtime colleague Adriano Espaillat today,” Klein said. “Adriano has focused his campaign on creating opportunity for all, through smart economic development, new affordable housing initiatives and equal education options – all of which the residents of The Bronx could hugely benefit from. We need a Congressmember who is focused on the next twenty years not just the next two – it is time for a new voice to represent this District and Adriano Espaillat is that voice.”

“Adriano Espaillat will bring opportunity to The Bronx and I am proud to endorse his candidacy for Congress today,” added Gjonaj, Assemblymember. “Adriano has been a fighter for affordable housing. If our communities are going to stay communities we need a voice like Adriano’s in Congress. He has a smart economic development plan that will keep our small businesses in business, our residents’ apartments affordable and our neighborhoods thriving. I look forward to working with him on his campaign and in Congress to do just that.”

“I am proud to receive the support of Senator Klein and Assemblymember Gjonaj today,” Adriano Espaillat, 13th District Congressional Candidate said. “The 13th District spans a diverse community in Upper Manhattan and The Bronx and with their support I know I can unite the District in the fight for affordable housing, thoughtful economic development and education Opportunity for All.”

Espaillat has dominated organized labor endorsements with Hotel and Motel Trades Council (HTC), United Federation of Teachers (UFT), District Council 9 IUPAT (DC 9), Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), Transport Workers Union Local 100 (TWU) and the Laundry & Distribution workers affiliate of Workers United SEIU (Workers United) showing their support earlier in the campaign.

Also part of the broad coalition of support is New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Bronx County Democratic Party Chair and Assemblymember Carl E. Heastie (AD -83); Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.; Senators Brad Hoylman (SD-27) and Gustavo Rivera (SD-33), Assemblymembers Karim Camara (AD-43), Robert Rodriguez (AD-68), Gabriela Rosa (AD-72), José Rivera (AD-73), Jeffrey Dinowitz (AD-81), and Victor Pichardo (AD-86); Councilmembers Mark Levine (CD-7), Ydanis Rodriguez (CD-10), Andrew Cohen (CD-11) and Ritchie Torres (CD-15); the Barack Obama Democratic Club of Upper Manhattan, and the Democratic Club of El Barrio & East Harlem.

Adriano Espaillat got his start as a community activist in Northern Manhattan, and currently serves in the New York State Senate. In the legislature, he quickly distinguished himself as a reformer and progressive fighter who has stood up for working families.

In 2011, Espaillat led the fight to renew New York State’s tenant protection laws, which were set to expire that year. Espaillat’s advocacy safeguarded over 1 million units of affordable housing, and earned new protections for over 2.5 million people, including the creation of the Tenant Protection Unit to stop harassment and abuse.

As Chair of the Senate Latino Conference, Espaillat has championed state-based immigration reforms, including: legislation allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, the DREAM Act, and the Farmworkers Bill of Rights.

Espaillat has been a vocal advocate for tenants, consumers, veterans, immigrants and local businesses. He has championed marriage equality and civil rights issues, and efforts to protect our environment from hydrofracking and other dangers.

He has passed laws preserving affordable housing, giving low-income day care workers the right to organize and obtain health care, and sponsored measures to improve hospital translation services. He established a higher education scholarship fund for relatives of the victims of American Airlines Flight 587, which crashed on November 12, 2001.

 

 

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