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Parody Twitter Account Takes Jabs at Robert Jackson's Bid for State Senate

By Carolina Pichardo | August 19, 2016 2:31pm | Updated on August 22, 2016 8:53am
 The Real RJ Button was created in 2014, after Robert Jackson got termed out of office, and lost a bid for Manhattan Borough President.
The Real RJ Button was created in 2014, after Robert Jackson got termed out of office, and lost a bid for Manhattan Borough President.
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Twitter/@RealRJButton

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS – Move over El Bloombito, there’s a new, political Twitter alter-ego account on the loose Uptown.

The Real RJ Button — which purports to be written by an old campaign button for former City Councilman Robert Jackson who now vehemently opposes his run for state Senate — has been live-tweeting a string of anti-Jackson messages out into the world.

The account was created by Alex Castex-Porter of Washington Heights in 2014, after Jackson, who was term-limited out of the City Council in 2013, ran for and lost the District 31 state Senate seat against Adriano Espaillat.

Jackson is now running again for the seat against Espaillat's handpicked successor, Marisol Alcantara, as well as Luis Tejada and the button's favorite candidate, Micah Lasher.

Jackson has a long history of running for office, including a failed 2013 bid for Manhattan Borough President against Gale Brewer, and a successful 2015 run for the District Leader of the 71st Assembly District.

Castex-Porter said he didn't want to discuss his own political leanings, adding that the button should be "treated as her own thing." 

"I don't really have much to say about it other than that I think Robert Jackson’s ambitions have become a joke," he said. "The RJ button Twitter is just a reflection on that, and a way to have fun. Hopefully, making a few people laugh along the way."

Jackson’s spokesman, Richard Fife, dismissed the account as "childish."

“Robert Jackson has built a record of taking on tough fights, standing up for the community, and getting real results,” Fife said.

“We are disturbed by the faceless, hateful internet chatter that seeks to divide people, and will leave these childish pranks to others while Robert focuses on knocking down barriers and uplifting the community.”