UPTOWN — With a little less than a month to go before the primary, candidates vying to replace longtime Rep. Charles Rangel have lined up several key endorsement in recent days, including one from a top U.S. ambassador.
Former Ambassador Julissa Reynoso, the first Dominican to become an Ambassador in the U.S., threw her support behind 13th Congressional District hopeful State Sen. Adriano Espaillat. Reynoso was nominated by President Barack Obama in 2011, and served from 2012 to 2014, after being part of Hillary Clinton’s campaign during the Democratic primary in 2008.
"Adriano Espaillat has a long trajectory of fighting for our families and communities,” Reynoso said in a statement Thursday. “As a member of the US Congress, Adriano will continue to fight to protect our communities and will stand up for working men and women across New York. Now is the time to send Adriano to Congress because he has the progressive record and will push a progressive agenda that will benefit all New Yorkers.”
For Espaillat, the nod from Reynoso comes on the heels of several endorsements, including that of Bronx State Assemblyman Luis Sepúlveda, and the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, which represents more than 15,000 principals, assistant principals and supervisors. The group endorsed Rangel in 2012 and 2014, according to Espaillat's spokeman.
His competitor and Rep. Charles Rangel's chosen successor, Assemblyman Keith Wright, landed the support of the New York State United Teachers Thursday — a group that represents more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care, a spokesman for the assemblyman said.
Last month, Wright also got an endorsement from U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
The other candidates vying for the seat include former Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV, who received an endorsement from Bronx Assemblyman Jose Rivera and several unions, a campaign spokesman said.
Suzan Johnson Cook, presidential advisor, pastor and author, locked in the support of the African Women's Alliance of America last week, her spokesman said. Adding to the endorsements from Lucia McBath, national spokesperson for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, actress and social activist, Angela Bassett and a slew of faith leaders throughout the congressional district.
Clyde Williams, having worked for former President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama, earned endorsements from Bill Richardson, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; Pete Rouse, former White House Chief of Staff to President Obama and Melody Barnes, former Director of the Domestic Policy Council also under the Obama administration.
The spokeswoman for stay-at-home father and first-time candidate, Mike Gallagher, said his campaign team couldn't announce pending endorsements before June 5. Although, they did say the candidate will do a walk through Central Harlem this week and will attend a party hosted by Harlem's own Bobbito and Stretch Armstrong.
The primary election will take place on Tuesday, June 28.
