POLITICAL ARENA

Sixth candidate enters election

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When Abigail Martin and Marcos Sierra decided to wait until the June primary, the March 23 special election race to replace Andrew Cohen on the city council quickly shrunk to just five candidates.

But now it’s moving back up again as a new name has been dropped into the hat.

Kevin Pazmino, a freelance videographer who calls Riverdale home, actually announced his intention to seek the seat in a New Year’s Eve Twitter post where he declared that “enough is enough, folks.”

Pazmino filed paperwork to enter the special election last week, joining a race that already includes retired cop Carlton Berkley, schoolteacher and politician’s son Eric Dinowitz, environmentalist Jessica Haller,  nonprofit organizer Mino Lora, and real estate attorney Dan Padernacht.

Pazmino hasn’t been too publicly active in local politics, and posts he’s shared or authored on his Twitter take more of a conservative political stance — something Pazmino told The Riverdale Press last weekend he’s not hesitant to share in what is traditionally a more liberal-leaning council district.

Pazmino told his Twitter followers that he would take his “logistical and leadership skills that I have developed over the years as a freelance filmmaker and (put) them to use for the people of the Bronx.”

The winner of the March 23 special election will have to run again in the June primary.

 

Endorsement season has arrived

It seems like everyone who is anyone is picking sides for the upcoming March 23 special election as the candidates line up high-profile supporters hoping it will lead voters to support them on the ballot.

Jessica Haller kicked things off with a nod from the man who once held the city council seat — former state attorney general Oliver Koppell.

“She’s a grassroots community activist, and a welcome change from the boss-controlled local Democratic political leadership,” Koppell said, in a release.

Eric Dinowitz, son of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, got his own vote of support from newly installed U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres.

“Eric Dinowitz is a progressive who can get things done, and that’s exactly what the northwest Bronx needs,” the congressman and former city councilman said, in a release.

Mino Lora earned a nod from Councilman and Queens borough president candidate Jimmy Van Bremer.

“The status quo isn’t going to cut it,” Van Bremer said, in a release. “It’s time for a progressive leap forward, and Mino is the next generation of leadership.”

Finally, Dan Padernacht found the backing of former Assemblyman and current Democratic National Committee vice chair Michael Blake.

“As a lawyer and community expert, he alone will be ready to work with city agencies from Day One,” Blake said, in a release.

Abigail Martin, Andrew Cohen, Marcos Sierra, Kevin Pazmino, Michael Hinman, Carlton Berkley, Eric Dinowitz, Jessica Haller, Mino Lora, Dan Padernacht, Oliver Koppell, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Ritchie Torres, Jimmy Van Bremer, Michael Blake,

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