State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (S.D. 34) announced that she had earned endorsements on Thursday, April 14, from three prominent Westchester elected officials: Ken Jenkins, Westchester deputy county executive, Yadira Ramos-Herbert, a New Rochelle councilwoman, and Martha Lopez, another New Rochelle councilwoman. All three highlighted what they said was Biaggi’s record on delivering progressive wins for Westchester families and her commitment to prioritizing community safety.

 

“Alessandra Biaggi is a proven fighter, and I’m excited to endorse her for Congress in NY-3,” said Jenkins. “I’ve seen how hard Alessandra has fought for the people of Westchester and all her constituents. She has never hesitated to stand up for what is right.” He added, “As a [sexual assault] survivor, Alessandra has fought tirelessly for victims’ rights in the State Senate and has always prioritized policies to keep our communities and families safe.” He said New York needed an experienced leader like Biaggi representing Westchester in Congress.

 

For her part, Ramos-Herbert described Biaggi as a proven leader who cares deeply about the issues that impact working families in New Rochelle and across NY-3. “The safety of our communities is Alessandra’s top priority and her willingness to roll up her sleeves and put in the work everyday for New Yorkers is exactly why we need her in Washington,” she said. “I am proud to endorse Alessandra Biaggi’s candidacy for Congress.

 

Meanwhile, Lopez said she was proud to endorse the senator for Congress. “In her two terms as a state senator, Alessandra has gone above and beyond to deliver on important issues, including historic tenant protections, expanding penalties for housing discrimination, increasing state investment in and access to affordable housing, and bringing to the forefront the issue of building code enforcement,” said Lopez. “Alessandra’s compassion and grit will make her a formidable member of Congress.”

 

Reacting to the endorsements, Biaggi said, “Westchester is my home. To have the support of Deputy County Executive Jenkins and New Rochelle Councilwomen Ramos-Herbet and Lopez, three impactful leaders in our county, means so much to me and to our campaign.” She added, “Together we have worked to deliver for Westchester families by fully funding our public schools, implementing historic tenant protections, and prioritizing community safety. I am eager to continue our progress in Congress, and I am so grateful to have their support behind me.”

Biaggi’s campaign said the endorsements of Jenkins, Ramos-Herbet and Lopez build on a growing list of Westchester leaders who are backing the senator for Congress. These include Rep. Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), as reported, State Senators Pete Harckham and Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, Damon Maher, Westchester county legislators, Damon Maher and David Tubiolo, and former chair for the Westchester Democratic committee, David Alpert.

As also reported, following the 2020 census, the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) held a number of virtual sessions with community residents to discuss the redistricting process with the public over a matter of months. The IRC held the last Bronx County hearing on its proposed redrawn maps for the Assembly, State Senate, and Congressional districts on Nov. 9, 2021. That hearing can be watched here. The maps were submitted by the commission to the State legislature on Jan. 3, 2022, and can be viewed here.

The State legislature ultimately did not vote on these submitted maps. Instead, elected representatives voted to approve alternate maps proposed by the Democratic Party, and these were ultimately signed off by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Feb. 3, as reported. The latest State-approved congressional map for New York Congressional District 3 is attached.

The New York State Republican Party immediately mounted a legal challenge, and a judge later overruled the vote taken by the State legislature (which has a Democratic majority) as being unconstitutional, saying the latest maps were gerrymandered by Democrats, and ordered new maps to be redrawn. Lawmakers had until April 11 to submit new maps but in the meantime, on Monday, April 4, a judge issued a stay on the case, which keeps the latest district lines in place, allowing candidates time to collect the required number of voter signatures needed to get on the ballot for the June Primaries by the required deadline.

As reported, other candidates in the Democratic primary for NY-3, according to Ballotpedia, include Melanie D’Arrigo, who was born in Lindenhurst, New York,  earned her B.A. from Barnard College in 2003, and her M.S. from Long Island University in 2012, and Jon Kaiman, who also sought to represent NY-3 in 2016 and was defeated by the incumbent Democratic congressman, Tom Suozzi. Kaiman is a self-described husband and father, former Nassau District Court judge, and former North Hempstead town supervisor.

Additional Democratic candidates include Navjot Kaur, Joshua Lafazan, a Northwell Health employee, who became the youngest Nassau County legislator when he beat an incumbent in a Trump district in 2017, Reema Rasool, a self-described, life-long New Yorker, business builder, social entrepreneur, community organizer, and mother of two boys, and Robert Zimmerman, one of 44 superdelegates from New York who supported former Secretary of State and then presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, for the 2016 Democratic nomination.

Finally, Maryann Maltese, a realtor sales associate at Huntington Homes – Laffey Real Estate, has also announced her intention to run for the seat. Maltese is a former hair designer/stylist at The Falcon and the Two Crowes, and a former regional manager/chief of staff at NYS Assembly.

Meanwhile, George Devolder-Santos is running to represent NY-3 on both the Republican Party and Conservative Party tickets. In the 2020 general election, Devolder-Santos ran and lost against Suozzi, who, as reported, is running for governor in the 2022 June Democratic primary. Devolder-Santos attained 43.5 percent of the vote to Suozzi’s 55.9 percent in the former NY-3 congressional district (before the latest redistricting process).

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