Bowman backs Biaggi in her quest to join him on Capitol Hill

Alessandra Biaggi's campaign for a spot in New York's congressional delegation is just 24 hours old. However, she's already received a high-profile, yet not unexpected, endorsement — from U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman.

But how this first major show of public support for the state senator's political quest plays in a congressional district that might not be as open to the level of progressiveness as Bowman's unofficial Squad caucus is something many political observers will keep a close eye on.

"It's not a secret that I am close friends with him, and that I have a good friendship with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez," Biaggi told The Riverdale Press after earning Bowman's backing. "We probably agree on a lot of things, if you had to line them up. But not on all things."

Bowman just completed his first year in Congress after toppling longtime incumbent Eliot Engel in the 2020 primary. And even he'd admit his campaign picked up some key momentum after Biaggi withdrew her backing of Engel to endorse Bowman instead.

But he tells The Press it's time to move away from labeling him and other like-minded members of Congress.

"Well, first, I want to say, stop calling me progressive. Stop calling me liberal. Stop singularly categorizing me as part of The Squad, and call me someone  who cares deeply about the world around us," Bowman said.  "No label can define us.

"That is who I am, and that is who Sen. Biaggi is. We just care. And we lead with our heart. So if we see kids dying of gun violence. If we see police dying of gun violence. If we see a climate catastrophe that's killing the planet and leading to mass migration and war. If we see poverty crippling children and families, and people not have access to quality health care and housing, we're going to fight like hell to do something about it."

Now Bowman is returning the favor by giving the state senator a boost at the very beginning of her campaign to succeed Tom Suozzi in a newly drawn district that stretches from northern Long Island, up through the eastern coastal communities of Queens, the Bronx and Westchester County.

But Biaggi — who seeks to follow in the footsteps of her late grandfather, Mario Biaggi, to Washington — knows this stretch of communities may not be as blue as what she's used to. But the younger Biaggi maintains friendships, and even political support, doesn't define who she is. 

"I really do value having an independent voice, and I don't think that is a surprise to anyone — especially here in the Riverdale community, and in the Bronx community," Biaggi said. "I am making it a point to carve out my own space on issues where I have my own opinion, speaking my mind no matter what."

Suozzi, a longtime Nassau County executive, succeeded the retiring Steve Israel at the U.S. Capitol in 2017.  He's now focused on the governor's mansion, however, poised to challenge incumbent Kathy Hochul for the Democratic Party's nomination.

Yet, others have already stepped up to try and claim Suozzi's seat, even before state lawmakers reconfigured the congressional district to include Biaggi's home in Pelham. Joshua Lafazan — who was first elected to the Nassau County Legislature when he was 23 — already has raised more than $450,000 in the race.  Health care consultant Melanie D'Arrigo — who unsuccessfully challenged Suozzi in the 2020 primary — has picked up more than $225,000 in support since last year.

D'Arrigo picked up her own high-profile endorsement Tuesday morning fronm former city council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. 

"In this congress, we have seen corporate Democrats sell out our communities for their donors," Mark-Viverito said, in a release. "Working families in the Bronx hurt when the Child Tax Credt was allowed to expire. They suffer when climate action is not taken to combat enviornmental racism. And their health is impacted when Medicare for All is not passed.

"I know Melanie will not stop fighting until our communities get what they need, and I am excited to support her campaign and help her foster the movement for working families here in the Bronx."

If Suozzi were to change his mind and fight for his job, he has a war chest of $3 million at his disposal, according to federal campaign filings. 

But even though the reconfigured district has picked up some of the traditionally more conservative parts of New York City and its suburbs, observers have found Suozzi's constituency is considerably more liberal than it was in the past.

"But really, at the end of the day, it comes down to the basic things we all care about," Biaggi said. "We want clean air. We all want a place to live that does not make us sick. And we want to make sure that for our coastal communities, if we don't address things like climate change in a really urgent way, these communities are going to be under water."

Redistricting has changed the faces representing a number of areas across the state, including in this part of the Bronx where Bowman has been shifted more north of the city, making way for up-and-coming congressman Ritchie Torres to represent the greater Riverdale area. 

Voters will decide who represents the respective parties in the upcoming congressional races in June.