Rival factions of the Bronx Democratic party are going to war at the polls today in a special election to fill a vacant City Council seat.
The contest pits party boss-backed candidate Joel Rivera, a 22-year-old college student seeking to become the youngest councilman ever, against insurgent Edwin Ortiz, a 35-year-old community activist.
In a strange alliance, Ortiz has the support of both Rep. Eliot Engel, who is Jewish, and Lenora Fulani, the controversial black activist who has been accused of making anti-Semitic statements in the past.
Fulani, who has been battling for control of the state’s Independence Party, has dispatched her associates to help Ortiz and has given him money.
Rivera, a political-science major at Fordham University, is trying to claim the $70,500-a-year council seat that became vacant when his term-limited father, José, was elected to the state Assembly in November.
Ortiz is backed by a faction, led by state Sen. Pedro Espada, that is at odds with Joel Rivera’s allies, who include country Democratic leader Roberto Ramirez and Borough President Fernando Ferrer.
Ortiz said he is running to provide “new leadership and new blood,” and he charged that electing Joel Rivera would amount to a “continuation of doing nothing.”
Joel Rivera, who touts his relationship with elected officials, has accused his rival of being a political unknown who won’t be able to get things done in cooperation with other officials.
The Citizens Union, a good-government group, said it had “no preference” in the contest for the Tremont seat – finding problems with each of the hopefuls.
The group said it was troubled by Rivera’s “youth and inexperience,” and concerned about Ortiz’s “inability to provide details on some of his positions,” such as how he would help the district’s troubled Roosevelt HS.