A rare open seat has ignited a heated Democratic primary in the 80th Assembly District, pitting a local community leader against the larger Bronx Democratic organization. Naomi Rivera, daughter of Assemblyman Jose Rivera, faces Joseph Thompson, a well-known neighborhood activist, in what will certainly be a lively battle. 

The competition began when current Assemblyman Jeff Klein jumped into the race for the 34th Senatorial District, left open by Guy Velella’s resignation after he pled guilty to bribery charges.

At press time, the

Norwood News

learned that Anthony Friedman, son of former Assemblyman George Friedman, also jumped into the race. 

Klein, who represented the district since 1994, was withholding his endorsement until petitioning ended on July 15. But Klein is generally aligned with the Bronx Democratic regulars.

Assemblyman Rivera, the Bronx County Democratic Party chair, has used the race to continue his not-so-subtle campaign to fill vacant political offices with family members. Rivera’s son Joel is majority leader in the City Council, securing that powerful position when he was only 23. Naomi Rivera, 41, is Joel’s half-sister.

Ellie Jurado, a lobbyist volunteering for her campaign, said that Rivera would not speak publicly until she stepped down from her position at the Bronx Board of Elections on July 15. But Jurado did say that Rivera takes the race seriously. 

"Politics is something she’s dedicated her career to," said Jurado, the campaign manager for Fernando Ferrer’s 2000 mayoral bid. "She’s always been interested in a [political] run, and is following in her dad’s footsteps." 

It was the prospect of Rivera’s candidacy that prompted Thompson, 65, to run himself. "Frankly, this took our community by surprise," Thompson said. "All of sudden, a stranger was introduced to us, who has not done anything for our community. I decided to challenge this."

Though Jurado said that Rivera has lived in Morris Park for roughly seven years, 

Thompson has yet to meet her. "Nobody seems to know who she is," said Thompson, a district resident for 35 years. "I’ve been on the community board for nine years and I’ve never seen her there." 

Thompson is a well-known figure in the district, which mostly covers Morris Park and Pelham Parkway with a stretch of Bedford Park. In addition to Community Board 11, he serves on the 49th Precinct Community Council, the Pelham Parkway-Allerton Patrol, the Pelham Parkway Little League, and several agency boards. 

"I believe in this community, I love this community," said Thompson, who, during a brief stroll on White Plains Road, greeted several people by name. 

Thompson has taken a stand on a number of local issues —  mostly notably, against building the water filtration plant in Van Cortlandt Park. "To me, this is one of the biggest misuses of parkland," said Thompson, who visited the alternate Eastview site for comparison. "Why are we building this in the Bronx?" 

Thompson said, if elected, he would support a civil suit opposing the plant, and try to lobby against it in Albany.

He also opposes the city’s overhaul of the Bronx’ Meals on Wheels program, which will give frozen meals to a portion of homebound elderly by fall. Assemblyman Rivera and most other Bronx Democrats support both the Meals revamp and the plant. 

Thompson enlisted about 30 volunteers to help him collect signatures, and he was confident that he would reach the 500 required. He has also been hitting the campaign trail, including Tracey Towers and other locations in Bedford Park. 

But his fundraising efforts are in the early stages. "We’re still getting professional," said Thompson, who operates out of a bare-bones campaign office on White Plains Road.

He faces an uphill battle against Rivera, who has name recognition and her father’s political machine on her side. Before becoming the Board’s deputy chief clerk in 2003, Rivera directed special events at the borough president’s office. Previously, she worked as a real estate agent and holds an accounting degree from Borough Manhattan Community College. 

Thompson is a former detective and officer in the Air Force, but says he now devotes about 60 hours a week to community obligations. During the campaign, he plans to continue his two weeknight shifts with the Pelham Parkway-Allerton Patrol. "It’s something close to my heart," Thompson said.