Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s new political action committee makes first Northeast endorsement for Samelys López, in an open seat in the South Bronx. As a rebuff to the DCCC who last year blacklisted organizations that provide support for insurgent campaigns, Courage to Change PAC has chosen Samelys Lopez, a Dominican and Puerto Rican housing justice advocate, to represent the South Bronx.
“Growing up homeless in the shelter system, while facing housing insecurity like many of our neighbors in the Bronx, I have made it my mission to center those in my community who have been directly impacted by homelessness, food scarcity, and poverty,” said Samelys López. “It is personal experiences like these that have given me the courage to fight for transformative justice. I am honored to be the first candidate in the northeast to earn this endorsement. It truly takes political courage and a movement to change our politics.”
“When community leaders, activists, and working-class candidates try to run for office, organizations like the D.C.C.C. discourage them,” said Representative Ocasio-Cortez said in an interview with the New York Times. “One of our primary goals is to reward political courage in Congress and also to help elect a progressive majority in the House of Representatives,”
This endorsement signals that the movement, which brought people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to power, is getting behind the true progressive candidate in this crowded race, full of current and former elected officials.
“The powers that be want you to believe that the fight for, social, economic, racial, immigrant, criminal, and environmental justice is an impossible dream,” Lopez said. “Let me be clear, we are fighting for our basic human rights.”
The primary will be held on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020 in The Bronx. Samelys is excited to head into the petitioning phase of the election after spending the last 5 months in every community in the district. She has been invigorated by speaking to people about a Homes Guarantee, Medicare For All, Universal Childcare and a Green New Deal in NYCHA. López is also hosting a Homes Guarantee town hall on Saturday the 22nd at 2195 Valentine Ave, St. Simon Stock Gym from 2:00 - 4:00pm.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
There are thirteen active candidate Federal Election Commission accounts (fourteen if you include State Senator Gustavo Rivera who still has an open FEC account) for the 15th Congressional race Democratic Primary June 23, 2020. Three candidates are currently City Council members with Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr's District almost entirely in the 15th Congressional District. Councilman Ritchie Torres has a small part, and Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez is from Upper Manhattan, and has no part of the 15th Congressional District. Assemblyman Michael Blake represents the 79th Assembly District in which a majority of the smaller assembly district lies in the 15th Congressional District. Former Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito represented a council district that was a majority Manhattan council district partly in the western part of the 15th Congressional District.
Over three quarters of a million dollars has already been spent by the four current and one former elected officials.
The favorite in this race is Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. who previously was the State Senator from the 32nd State Senate District which almost entirely lies within the 15th Congressional. Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. has tapped 87th Assembly District Male District Leader Sergeant John Perez to run against the embattled current state senator from the 32nd district.
More on all the races including the 14th Congressional District where Congresswoman Alexandria Ocassio-Cortez has five people who have registered with the FEC. It may not be a cakewalk for AOC who has spent close to three million dollars herself as of the last listed reporting.
