by Michelle Mullen, Alexa Lewis and Olivia Young

Incumbent candidates in two of the area’s most closely watched races won against their challengers in the June 23 Democratic primary, which drew thousands of local voters to the polls.

In the race for the 81st Assembly District, incumbent Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz defeated challenger Morgan Evers to represent Riverdale, Kingsbridge, Van Cortlandt Village, Kingsbridge Heights, Marble Hill, Norwood, Woodlawn and Wakefield, securing 65 percent of the vote with more than 7,400 votes by press time with 96 percent of votes reported, according to election night results from the New York City Board of Elections. In the race for New York’s 15th Congressional District, incumbent U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres defeated challengers Michael Blake and Jose Vega to represent greater Riverdale and much of the surrounding borough, securing 72 percent of the vote with more than 23,000 votes with 96 percent of votes reported by press time, according to the board of elections.

The Assembly district has been represented by Dinowitz since 1994. He currently chairs the Assembly Codes Committee, which reviews legislation related to New York’s criminal and civil justice systems. He also serves on the Rules, Health, Election Law and Ways and Means committees.

Throughout the campaign, Dinowitz highlighted his legislative experience and record in Albany. His priorities, he previously told The Press, included public school funding, tenants’ rights, mass transit and advancing policies aimed at mitigating climate change.

“It feels good that the voters recognized the work that I’ve done,” Dinowitz said after results were announced, adding that, while he stood outside the polls on election day, voters expressed that appreciation. Dinowitz also said he prided himself on running a “positive campaign.”

His challenger, Evers, entered the race with a background as an educator, disability rights advocate and community organizer. She previously served as the female state committee member for the 81st Assembly District and helped found the Unity Democratic Club.

Evers previously told The Press her campaign centered on affordability, including preserving affordable homeownership, protecting tenants, expanding access to child care and supporting small businesses facing rising costs.

“I’m proud of the movement we started,” Evers said of her campaign. “And I know this is just the beginning.”

The race was widely viewed as one of the most competitive contests in the northwest Bronx this election cycle, offering voters a choice between decades of legislative experience and a challenger who campaigned on bringing a new perspective to state government.

In the race for New York’s 15th Congressional District, Torres took an early lead against Blake and Vega as polling numbers rolled in.

The district, which includes much of the Bronx and encompasses greater Riverdale, has been represented by  Torres since 2021. Torres became the first openly gay Afro-Latino member of Congress after previously serving on the New York City Council, where he chaired the Committee on Public Housing.

Throughout his campaign, Torres emphasized affordability, public safety and housing as the district’s most pressing concerns.

“Tonight, the people of the Bronx have spoken,” Torres said after results were announced. “The people of the Bronx have chosen love over hate, hope over fear and unity over division. Because in the Bronx, there are no strangers, only neighbors. In the Bronx, we are a family, and it is the honor of my life to represent every member of the Bronx family from every corner of our borough.”

Former Assembly member Michael Blake, who served as an aide in the Obama administration, sought to unseat Torres on a platform centered on affordability and economic relief for working families.

Blake spoke to The Press about rising housing, grocery and utility costs, while also drawing on his experiences growing up in a family that struggled with food insecurity.

“We thank the thousands who believed in me,” Blake said of his campaign.  “We ran a race of integrity that the Bronx deserves. The time for change will come.”

Independent candidate Jose Vega, a first-time congressional candidate, centered his campaign on rebuilding economic opportunity in the Bronx, and particularly highlighted to The Press pathways into stable, well-paying jobs and advocated for federal investment in infrastructure, workforce training and public works projects.

“I’m very happy with our experiment of running in this,” Vega said of his campaign.

While the candidates for each race offered different visions for the district, issues related to affordability, housing and economic opportunity remained at the center of both contests.

Keywords

Jeffrey Dinowitz,

Ritchie Torres,

Democratic primary election,

Bronx election results,

81st Assembly District,

New York 15th Congressional District,

Morgan Evers,

Michael Blake,

Jose Vega,

Bronx politics,

Riverdale elections,

northwest Bronx,

New York State Assembly