The Unity Democratic Club, which serves members of the Democratic Party throughout the northwest Bronx, announced on Friday, Jan. 26, its official endorsements for the upcoming 2024 elections. It also voted on a specific healthcare related resolution in support of the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees.

 

“After careful consideration, and a democratic voting process, the Unity Democratic Club has decided to endorse the following candidates who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the values and priorities that align with the club’s mission,” members who, as reported, held their most recent elections in November 2023, wrote. The club launched on Oct. 3, 2022.

The club endorsements were listed as follows:

• Incumbent U.S. President Joe Biden for president

• Incumbent State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33) for New York State Senate, 33rd District

• Incumbent State Sen. Robert Jackson (S.D. 31) for New York State Senate, 31st District

• Incumbent Democratic Female District Leader (A.D. 81) and Unity Democratic Club member, Abigail Martin, for District Leader in the 81st Assembly District

• Incumbent Democratic Male District Leader (A.D. 81) and Unity Democratic Club member, Ramdat Singh, for District Leader in the 81st Assembly District

• Incumbent Democratic State Committee Member (A.D. 81) and Unity Democratic Club member, Morgan Evers, for State Committee Member in the 81st Assembly District, as previously reported by Norwood News.

• Aaron Stayman, Unity Democratic Club member, for State Committee Member in the 81th Assembly District, as previously reported by Norwood News.

• Danielle Guggenheim, Unity Democratic Club member [vice-president], for State Committee Member in the 78th Assembly District.

 

As reported in 2022, Rachel Miller-Bradshaw, Fordham Hill Co-op board secretary, is the incumbent female State Committee Member in the 78th Assembly District, while the male State Committee Member is Rafael Matos, according to the Bronx Democratic Party’s website, though we have asked the party to reconfirm if all details on the site are up-to-date as we noticed what appear to be some discrepancies in several districts.

 

Assembly District 78 includes some or all of the Bronx neighborhoods of Bedford Park, Jerome Park, Kingsbridge Heights, University Heights, Fordham Manor, Belmont, Crotona and Allerton, as well as the Bronx Zoo and parts of Bronx Park, and is represented in Albany by Democratic Assemblyman George Alvarez (A.D. 78).

 

As reported, Miller-Bradshaw challenged District 14 City Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez in the 2023 Democratic city council primary, winning around a quarter of the votes, but ultimately losing to the incumbent.

 

The 81st Assembly District, which covers much of the Northwest Bronx, includes some or all of the neighborhoods of Norwood, Bedford Park, Wakefield, Woodlawn, Kingsbridge, Fieldston, Riverdale, North Riverdale and Spuyten Duyvil and the assemblyman representing the district is Democratic Assembyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. Click here, here, and here to read our previous coverage on this district, along with other candidates running for election.

 

Senatorial District 33, which Rivera represents, broadly encompasses some or all of the neighborhoods of Norwood, Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Fieldston, Spuyten Duyvil, North Riverdale, Riverdale, Fordham Manor, Fordham Heights, Mt. Hope, Allerton, Pelham Parkway, Belmont, Little Yemen, Van Nest, Indian Village and Morris Park. Rivera, who chairs the NYS senatorial health committee, lamented that the NYS Assembly did not pass the Coverage for All Health Care bill last year.

Meanwhile, in addition to a large swath of northern Manhattan, Jackson represents the Bronx neighborhoods of Marble Hill, Kingsbridge, Kingsbridge Heights, Van Cortlandt Village, and parts of Fordham Manor, Jerome Park, University Heights, and Morris Heights.

 

Meanwhile, the Unity Democratic members wrote of their local nominees, “Each of these candidates has shown exceptional dedication to serving our community and advocating for policies that promote unity, equity, and progress within the Democratic Party and across the northwest Bronx. The Unity Democratic Club believes that their leadership will contribute significantly to the betterment of our city and state.”

 

Club president Betsey Knapp said, “We are thrilled to endorse these outstanding individuals who share our vision for a more inclusive and equitable future.” She added, “Their commitment to our community and their proven track record of effective leadership make them the ideal choices for the upcoming elections. We look forward to supporting and working closely with them as they campaign to advance Democratic Party principles across The Bronx, New York State, and our nation as a whole.”

 

Club members encouraged its members and the broader community to rally behind the endorsed candidates, engage in their campaigns, and participate actively in the democratic process.

 

In addition, the Unity Democratic Club members said they unanimously voted to pass a resolution in support of the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees’ efforts to enact a local law that maintains the choice of traditional Medicare and a Medicare Supplemental plan provided at the time of City employees’ hiring, and not force retirees into a private, profit- driven healthcare plan.

 

The resolution text reads as follows:

“Resolution to support and advocate on behalf of the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees’ and urging the New York City Council to enact legislation that will preserve retiree health care choices by mandating the City to provide and pay for at least one Medicare Supplemental plan for Medicare-eligible City retirees and their Medicare-eligible dependents with benefits equivalent to or better than those available to City retirees and their dependents as of December 31, 2021.

 

1. Whereas many residents of the Bronx have served the City and are now enjoying the retirement benefits, including healthcare benefits, they earned;

 

2. Whereas the issue of healthcare is extremely important and must be protected for the 250,000 NYC retirees who earned and paid for their healthcare;

 

3. Whereas the City has paid since 1967 the out-of-pocket cost of GHI Senior Care plan, a Medicare Supplemental plan which the majority of NYC Retirees have chosen;

 

4. Whereas Mayor Adams is forcing NYC retirees into a Medicare Advantage Plan (MAP) with no alternative option provided;

 

5. Whereas this plan threatens retirees’ access to the level of health care they have received in the past, in that the MAP has limited medical providers and requires pre-authorizations that are made – at least in part – based on artificial intelligence, rather than allowing medical decisions to be made on the best judgment of retirees’ medical providers;

6. Whereas the proposed plan would draw millions of dollars away from traditional Medicare into a privatized MAP;

 

7. Whereas the proposed plan sets a harmful precedent for the rest of the nation;

 

8. Whereas the NYC Retirees have testified in various forums, including at the January 11, 2023, NYC Council Civil Service and Labor Committee public hearing, that they have been subjected to unconscionable stress due to the City’s attempt to destroy their earned healthcare benefits;

 

9. Whereas the City Council has not yet enacted legislation that would protect NYC retirees’ healthcare benefits; NOW THEREFORE

 

Be it resolved that the Unity Democratic Club:

 

1. Urges its elected officials to publicly support the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees efforts to enact a local law that maintains the choice of traditional Medicare and a Medicare Supplemental plan provided at the time of City employees’ hiring, and not force retirees into a private, profit- driven healthcare plan; and

 

2. Urges our elected officials to uphold the City’s obligations to its retirees, including its obligations set forth in New York Administrative Code §12-126.”

As reported, self-described as a longtime Democratic Party volunteer and attorney, Ben Jackson also announced his candidacy for the role of male Democratic district leader in the 81st Assembly District in December 2023, while Michael  Michael Heller announced his candidacy for re-election as Democratic State Committee Member earlier in January.