NYC Dominican politicos snipe as gerrymandering looms

NEW YORK. – Dominicans in Upper Manhattan, despite being a majority in the sectors to be redistricted by Congress and which would give them the opportunity to have their first federal legislator, face serious challenges to materialize that future electoral map.

Among the difficulties figure the division among Dominican elected officials of Upper Manhattan, as evidenced by a recent event hosted by the Dominican Round Table, where only the Assemblyman Guillermo Linares attended.

Neither State senator Adriano Espaillat, who also seeks to become the first Dominican-American congressman in the history of the decades old Dominican diaspora, nor Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, among other political leaders attended the activity.

The activity of the Dominican Round Table, founded by Espaillat to deal with diaspora affairs, was held in Lehman College from October 7 to 8. A source quoted by elnuevodiario.com.do said the state official, had clashed with the organization’s leaders for their positions on the congressional redistricting, which continues being as the main issue pitting him with Linares.

Moreover the new district which will have to be "traced" into the map faces opposition from influential state and municipal democratic leaders, even the possibility that governor Andrew Cuomo might also join its opponents.

Local observers say despite the confrontation, in the Round Table and between Espaillat and other leaders as well, a consensus emerges to establish the district that would trace a borderline between Upper Manhattan from 181st St. and the Bronx, starting at University Avenue, which in the second territory would pave the way for an Puerto Rican to compete, overlooking the fact that that part of the county’s population is mostly Dominican.