Riverdale may be in CD-15 under draft map

Biaggi may change direction on which seat to represent

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Greater Riverdale will fall under a new district 15 in the upcoming midterm elections based on a draft of a new state congressional district map that was published Monday.

And state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, who had been running for congressional district 3, can  run for that seat even though her home would now be in district 16. According to the New York State’s Board of Election’s website, candidates only have to be a resident of New York in order to run for a congressional seat.

That means that Biaggi could still run for CD3, even though she wouldn’t live within the district, if the draft map were to be approved. 

New York state Supreme Court Justice Patrick McAllister, who is overseeing the state congressional and state Senate redistricting lawsuit, allowed the map drawn by special master Jonathan Cervas to be published. It creates eight competitive districts, where there were only three before under the previous state legislature plan.

The greater Riverdale community, for the most part, would be in District 15, which is now represented by Democrat Ritchie Torres. Currently, the area is in the 16th district and is represented by Democrat Jamaal Bowman. The new district is shaped much less like a barbell. It starts in the northwest Bronx, avoiding the Jerome Park Reservoir, travels over to Van Cortlandt Park and then heads south until it reaches Mott Haven. 

It will no longer cover neighborhoods in the eastern coastal part of The Bronx, like Hunts Point, Soundview and Castle Hill. 

Democrat Adriano Espaillat’s Congressional District 13 would also cover a bit more of Kingsbridge, if these new maps were to be approved. 

State Sen. Biaggi, who represents the 34th district, launched a campaign to replace Rep. Tom Suozzi after the newly drawn Congressional District 3 included her home in Pelham. However, the new CD3 proposed by Cervas no longer does. Instead, Pelham falls under Congressional District 16, which is represented by Bowman, a fellow progressive. 

Biaggi had said earlier she was committed to staying in a congressional race even after the state’s highest court threw out the new Congressional maps back in late April. “I entered this race because I am deeply committed to fighting for the people of NY-3 and protecting abortion and voting rights, combating the climate crisis, and expanding access to affordable health care and housing,” Biaggi told supporters in an email. “I am the most experienced, qualified and committed candidate.”

politics, congressional district maps, Jamaal Bowman, allesandra biaggi, Adriano espaillat, pelham, judge patrick mcallister,

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