Incumbent Assemblymember Jose Rivera has had a lot to worry about over the past two month. After years as head of the Bronx Democratic Party, Rivera faces a challenge from a rival group of politicians calling themselves the "Rainbow Rebellion." The anti-Rivera faction gained strength on primary day, when Bronx residents voted against his for Surrogate Court judge and defeated his ally, State Sen. Efrain Gonzalez. Rivera also failed to defeat any of the Rainbow members up for re-election.
Now Rainbow Rebellion leaders want to replace Rivera with one of their own, State Assemblymember Carl Heastie. In September, the factions held dueling meetings -- one gathering re-elected Rivera leader, the other chose Heastie. The battle now rests in the hands of a court where a judge must determine which meeting was the real one.
But amid all the turmoil, one thing Rivera probably does not have to worry about is his return to the Assembly. He faces two opponents: Jose Torres on the Republican and Independence Party lines and Conservative Robert Lupo. Little information was available about either candidate.
Rivera first served in the assembly from 1982 and 1987, then moved over to the City Council. He returned to the legislature in 1990 and has been there ever since. A former member of the carpenters union and a union organizer, Rivera says he has worked "for jobs, better housing and social justice."
Rivera's most recent available campaign finance report, filed in July, showed him with $105,682. A report for Torres was not available and Lupo reportedÂ
Democratic incumbent Annette Robinson faces Republican Henry Snead in next week's election.
Robinson is a former City Council member forced out of office in 2001 due to term limits. She joined the Assembly in 2002 and says she is specifically concerned with families and economic development.
Snead is a district leader for the county Republican Party and served as a local delegate to the Giuliani presidential campaign earlier this year.
Robinson most recently reported campaign contributions and expenditures in July. At that time, she had a negative balance of $22,655. Reports for Snead were not available.
The 54th district comprises Tompkins Park North, Weeksville and Bedford-Stuyvesant.
Â
The race in the 75th district on Manhattan's West Side represents a sharp contrast between a long-time politician and total newcomer.
Assemblymember Richard Gottfried has represented the 75th District since he was elected in 1970 -- when he was 23 years old. Now, a 22-year-old is seeking to unseat him.
Gottfried, a Democrat who also is endorsed by the Working Families Party, is the chair of the Committee on Health and has been a key player in much of the health legislation that has been passed in the past several decades.
His challenger, Saul Farber, who recently graduated from NYU, is backed both by the Republican and Independent parties. Farber's key issues are reform in Albany and decreasing spending.
Farber collected $38,749 in campaign contribution in the period leading up to the32 Day Pre-General filing report and had $47,145 on hand. Farber had raised $24,580 and had $21,644 on hand.
Â