Bronx democrats vow to stand by their constituents amid national political shift

As a staggering red wave flooded the U.S. on election night ushering in a Donald Trump-led White House and control of Congress, local Democrats in the Bronx held the line – easily winning reelection and vowing to stand up for their constituents.

Torres, who was reelected to a second term in Congress, coasted with 76.6% of the vote against Republican Gonzalo Duran and minor party candidate Jose Vega.  

“My priority, my mission, is to be a defender of the social safety net,” Torres said. The social safety net represents Medicare and social security, and while Trump has not said he would cut these benefits, people are concerned, nonetheless. “I worry about the damage [Trump] can do to a liberal democracy now that he enjoys something resembling absolute immunity,” Torres added.

In particular, Torres said he’s concerned about the existing foundation for a clean energy economy, referring to legislation he proposed in 2023 that would “cap” the Cross Bronx Expressway – in an attempt to mitigate decades of truck pollution largely affecting South Bronx communities of color. 

In October 2024, the NYC Department of Transportation unveiled a plan to cap a portion of the Cross Bronx near Parkchester. Designed as a connection between Cortona Park and Walter Gladwin Park, the goal is to expand the open space and make pedestrian pathways and safer riding for cyclists. 

“We’re going to face real barriers to capping the Cross Bronx Expressway with Donald Trump in the White House,” Torres said. 

In previous years Trump has referred to climate change as a hoax, leaving Torres’s project to mitigate emissions and air pollution outside of Trump’s support. 

Throughout the rest of his time in office, Torres has introduced legislation in support of LGBTQ+ rights, including a proposal he co-sponsored, Respect for Marriage Act. The law, signed in December 2022, recognizes marriage status for same-sex and interracial couples.

Torres said throughout Trump’s presidency, he is committed to protecting the people of the Bronx, continuing his support of the Countering Antisemitism Act, which, if passed, raises awareness and educates the public on the history of Jewish Americans. 

Torress also proposed legislation in June of this year with the Improving Senior’s Timely Access to Care Act of 2024, which prioritizes seniors receiving Medicare Advantage plans, streamlining the authorization process and cutting down on delays for people to receive their healthcare treatments. 

The current Medicare process requires prior authorization, meaning health care providers must get pre-approval before medical services but the system ends up getting bogged down with faxes and phone calls, pausing the care providers need to be issuing older adults. 

Moving forward, he is apprehensive about other items being stripped of funding, especially Puerto Rico. 

According to 2022 census data the median household income on the island was $24,002 with roughly 39.6% of people living in poverty. This is the highest poverty rate in the U.S., with Mississippi following at 18%. 

NYS Sen. Gustavo Rivera, who won with 69.1% of the vote against Republican Dion J. Powell, knows the needs of Puerto Rico personally, as he was born there and attended the SOMOS annual conference earlier this month – a gathering for the political community on the island. There, he helped clean up a local skate park and community garden in Punta Las Marias. But it’s not only Puerto Ricans Rivera cares about. 

"Whether we’re talking about undocumented folks — who are a large part of my district — or women, especially when it comes to reproductive rights, the dangers are real,” he added.

Recent rollbacks of federal protections for undocumented immigrants and women’s reproductive health have created an environment of fear and uncertainty for many as Rivera recalls the months following the Supreme Court’s historical decision to overturn Roe v. Wade – a landmark ruling that decriminalized abortions in Texas and the nation at large over the years. Since the ruling has been overturned in 2022, there have been stories of clinicians being criminally charged and pregnant people having to travel hundreds of miles for a legal abortion. 

"People are scared, and they don’t know what to expect from a federal government that doesn’t represent them,” said Rivera. “But my job is clear. I need to be their advocate, I need to be the one who fights for their rights every single day."

The victory for Dinowitz marks 30 years in his Assembly seat, winning by a landslide, with 76.4% of the vote against Republican Kevin Pazmino. Over that time, he has co-sponsored and helped pass dozens of pieces of legislation. 

So, what are his plans for his upcoming term? Installing window guards in the apartments of Overlook Manor at 435 W. 238th St. 

The seven-story building, once a Manhattan University dormitory, was sold this summer and then transformed into a migrant shelter, housing women and children. But it lacks window guards, even though NYC regulations stipulate that any apartment with a child 10 years old or younger must have them.

“My focus really is the neighborhood,” Dinowitz told The Press. “It’s a constant battle to make sure we have a good community and that things go well here.”

Looking to the future, Dinowitz is aware that the political environment has shifted dramatically since he first took office in 1994. With the incoming Republican administration, Dinowitz expects tougher times ahead for New York.

“We won’t have a president pushing billions into our state anymore,” Dinowitz said about Trump. Now we’ll have to fight for every dollar. But that’s the nature of politics, we have to adapt.”