WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — Former City Councilman Robert Jackson will throw his hat into the political arena once again, this time backed by a new Uptown political club he helped to form.
Last week, Jackson announced on his Facebook page that he would run for District Leader of the 71st Assembly District, which covers Sugar Hill and the western part of Washington Heights.
Jackson will go up against his own former staffer, Juan Rosa, who was chosen to take over the role in January when City Councilman Mark Levine stepped down from the position before the end of his two-year term.
District leaders are unpaid elected officials who represent the local members of a political party to that party’s county committee.
Jackson — who served three terms in City Council and ran an unsuccessful campaign for state Senate against incumbent Adriano Espaillat in 2014 — noted that many current district leaders are also elected officials and said his experience would be a benefit on the job.
“One of the primary roles of the district leader is to communicate with elected officials about the issues in the community they represent,” Jackson said. “I’m someone who was lobbied by people when I was in the City Council and who lobbied other elected officials in Albany about affordable housing and education. I know how to do this.”
Jackson was a member of the Barack Obama Democratic Club of Upper Manhattan, but left shortly after the party voted to have Rosa finish out Levine’s term as district leader. The Barack Obama Club is now supporting Rosa in his own bid for district leader.
Jackson then helped to form the Uptown Community Democrats, whose members include former Jackson staffer and head of school District 6’s Parent Council Johanna Garcia; education advocate and Community Education Council 6 member Yurderka Valdez; and former City Council candidate Cheryl Pahaham.
George Espinal, who was removed as president of the 34th Precinct Community Council after local business owners complained that he was abusing his power, also sits on the club’s executive committee.
Jackson said he has no qualms about running against his former staffer.
“Juan is a young man who has been involved in the political situation Uptown for several years,” Jackson said. “Does he know everything? No. Do I? No. But I think I have the depth of experience to be able to represent people in District 71A well.”
Rosa said he was somewhat surprised that Jackson was vying for the position, which is often seen as an early step in a political career.
"Robert has always been about building new leaderiship and empowering new leadership," said Rosa, who works as the Community School Coordinator at the High School for Media and Communications. "I think Mark [Levine] really sees my candidacy as a chance to build new leadership in Upper Manhattan... I think previously that’s something Robert would have supported."
District leader positions are also often viewed as a stepping stone for those interested in running for other offices down the road.
Jackson has long stated that he will launch another run against Espaillat for State Senate in 2016, but he denied that he views the position of district leader as a move in that direction.
“I’m not using it as a stepping stone,” he said. “I’m using it for what it’s supposed to be used for, to carry out the responsibilities of the district leader with the party.”
