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Elizabeth Ritter Ends State Senate Bid as Boss Espaillat Enters Race

By Nigel Chiwaya | June 30, 2014 10:40am
 Elizabeth Lorris Ritter announced on Friday that she was bowing out of the race for the 31st District state Senate seat.
Elizabeth Lorris Ritter announced on Friday that she was bowing out of the race for the 31st District state Senate seat.
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WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — The staffer for state Sen. Adriano Espaillat who launched a bid to replace her boss in Albany has backed out of the race after Espaillat launched his own reelection bid.

Elizabeth Lorris Ritter, who entered the 31st District state Senate race on June 10 with an email to supporters, exited the race with an email late Friday evening, writing that she opted to withdraw and stand behind Espaillat.

"As I have witnessed every day that I have worked for him during his two terms as our state senator, he has been a powerful and effective advocate for this district, and I am fully supportive of his reelection bid," Ritter wrote. "I therefore am withdrawing my candidacy."

Ritter, Espaillat's community liaison, launched her campaign with the belief that Espaillat would emerge victorious from his congressional battle with Rep. Charles Rangel, leaving a vacant seat in Albany. But Espaillat lost to Rangel last week and instead set his sights on keeping his job

Ritter added that she would return all unspent donations and destroy all petitions and signatures to get on the ballot. She encouraged her supporters to sign petitions for Espaillat, instead.

Despite Ritter's exit, the state Senate race is still crowded, with former Councilman Robert Jackson and district leaders Manny De Los Santos and Marisol Alcantara having officially declared their candidacy. Several other people are rumored to be circulating petitions.

Jackson, who kicked off his campaign on Thursday, said he wasn't afraid of facing Espaillat. 

"Some people asked me: 'What if Adriano runs for reelection? Are you in it to win it?'" he said. "My name is Action Jackson and I'm ready to fight on behalf of the people I represent."