Norwood News

Ruben Diaz Jr., a 36-year-old career politician from Soundview, will officially become the new Bronx borough president on Friday after winning a special election on April 21 to replace former B.P. Adolfo Carrion.

He easily defeated his lone opponent, Anthony J. Ribustello, 42, a Republican district leader from the east Bronx known more for his acting role in the HBO series “The Sopranos.” Diaz garnered 87 percent of the vote, for an unofficial total of 28,301 votes. Ribustello pulled in 4,081votes.

The result came as no surprise.

In early March, Bronx Democrats united behind Diaz when potential rival and fellow Democrat, Councilman Joel Rivera, officially dropped out of the race, leaving Ribustello as the only challenger.
In the weeks leading up to the election, Diaz was so confident he declined more than $200,000 in public financing and announced he would tap veteran assemblywoman Aurelia Greene to be his deputy before a single vote had been cast.

During his introduction of Diaz at a jam-packed post-election party at Maestro’s restaurant in Morris Park, Comptroller and mayoral candidate Bill Thompson said, “All of us expect great things from him. A new day in the Bronx begins tomorrow.”

Diaz, who just turned 36 on Sunday, told the crowd that his clear victory would unite the borough. “This was a message that we sent to everyone: from now on, we’re going to look at this as one borough,” he said.

Later, Greene  said the two would “sit down and carve out some plans.” When asked about her priorities, Greene said, “I would say affordable housing is an issue of mine.”

Referring to Carrion, who now runs the White House Office on Urban Affairs, Diaz said, “While people say, ‘Ruben, you’ve got big shoes to fill,’ I tell them ‘I brought some big socks.’”

Dean DelDuca, Diaz’s Assembly chief of staff, will play that same role in the borough president’s office. Carmella Pinkney-Price will be DelDuca’s deputy.

—with reporting by David Greene