Primary 2010 Continued

   We were going around the 33rd State Senate District on primary day, and saw that there was very low voter turnout. We believe that this was because there was no real race of importance to many voters. One reason the turnout was higher in the northern part of the 33rd State Senate District was the fact that the attorney general race was of interest to those voters. Since current AG Andrew Cuomo filed suit charging that Pedro Espada stole 14 million dollars from his Soundview Health Center, that must have been one reason Espada did so bad (being outvoted by up to 5 to 1) in the northern part of the 33rd senate district. 

   While the final tallies won't be in for a few days we were told that Espada did manage to win in the 86th A.D. and was close in the 78th A.D., but only by a very slim margin which was not enough to offset his tremendous deficit from the northern part of the district. 

   I was with Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. when the polls closed and saw that Senator Diaz was both happy and sad at the same time. When I  asked Senator Diaz what was wrong he told me " yes I have won big, but it is looking like I will loose an amigo in the senate". Senator Diaz then told me the early numbers from the northern part of the 33rd State Senate District which had Pedro Espada Jr. behind by very large numbers. 

   I then traveled up to the Gustavo Rivera Victory celebration to arrive as the results were coming in over the televisions that were on. The crowd cheered every time new numbers came in, and the loudest roar came when Senator Pedro Espada Jr. admitted defeat. 

   When Mr. Gustavo Rivera arrived the crowd went crazy chanting "GUSTAVO-GUSTAVO-GUSTAVO" again and again until it was time for the primary winner (and as the Bronx votes new state senator) to speak. Gustavo Rivera first thanked his parents for the way he was brought up, then thanking Ms. Hunter and Dan Padernacht (former candidates who united with him) to defeat Pedro Espada Jr. next came a slip of the lip (or maybe Senator Rivera knows something we don't) as Gustavo thanked Borough President Jeffrey Dinowitz. After correcting himself he thanked Assemblyman Dinowitz, Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr., Councilman G. Oliver Koppell (one of the first elected officials to support Mr. Rivera), the rest of the elected officials on hand, the unions for their help and ended by thanking the Working Families Party who also helped in the victory. Mr. Gustavo Rivera now has the Democratic line which all but ensures him victory in the November general election. Mr. Rivera will also have the Working Families Party line, but must face Pedro Espada Jr. again who does have the Independence Party line in the November general election.