What You Should Know

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York

HISTORY ALWAYS REPEATS ITSELF

You should know that a lot of people have been calling me and asking me about the endorsement by Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda to Mayoral Candidate Bill de Blasio. They are also asking me if my relationship with Luis Sepulveda has gone sour.

 

As you know, Luis Sepulveda was my protégé and when the Bronx Democratic Chairman and Committee did not want to endorse him, I was there to support, pressure and fight for their support. I was the only elected official, that four years ago, came out in support of Luis Sepulveda against an 18-year incumbent leader, Peter Rivera. That election was lost by almost 400 votes, but it was a stepping-stone for Luis Sepulveda to regroup and continue to fight and making Assemblyman Peter Rivera to resign and become New York State Commissioner of Labor and open the opportunity for Luis Sepulveda to be who he is today, a New York State Assemblyman for the 87th District in the Bronx.

 

Now, Luis Sepulveda has gone on his own and has supported Bill de Blasio for Mayor against my candidate, Rev. Erick Salgado.

 

All of my friends, all of my colleagues, and everyone in the media know that I am supporting a candidate whose name is Rev. Erick Salgado who announced his candidacy for Mayor earlier this month. Rev. Erick Salgado is a conservative Democrat and a businessman who is ready and willing to unite with all New Yorkers to fix our broken city.  He is the only Hispanic running in the Mayoral Democratic Primary.

   

My candidate, Rev. Erick Salgado and I know that at this moment, he is at the bottom rung and has only one way to go - up - and he will!

 

We all saw how Christine Quinn's poll numbers took a real hit after Senator Gustavo Rivera endorsed her for Mayor.  Before his endorsement, Christine Quinn had the support of 37 percent of those polled. She was so close to that coveted 40 percent mark. After Senator Gustavo Rivera's endorsement, she's down to 26 percent.

 

My advise to my dear friend Luis Sepulveda is to work very hard, especially in the Hispanic community, to be sure that Bill DeBlasio's poll numbers, which even last week were said to be sluggish, don't come down because as a Hispanic, I could imagine that Bill de Blasio is expecting him to deliver the Hispanic vote. One way to prove real leadership is when you and your followers endorse a candidate and after doing so, the poll number rise.  When you endorse a candidate and your candidate gets pummeled, you will lose credibility.

 

And to those that are questioning why this is happening, I must say that this is America where people can decide what is best for them. I should remind them, that this is not the first time and it will not be the last time that people come to our churches, meet our ministers, kiss our babies, tell us to pray for them, ask for our support and once elected, they vanish. We shall continue our struggle because some of us are in this business because of conviction and others only seek convenience.

 

This is Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz and this is what you should know.

 

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