NYC council member enters crowded 10th District House primary

New York City Council member Carlina Rivera has joined the crowded field of Democrats vying to represent New York’s 10th Congressional District, a seat left open by the state’s new controversial redistricting map.

A number of Democrats have since jumped into the race, including former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Rep. Mondaine Jones (D-N.Y.), New York Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou and Dan Goldman, a former federal prosecutor who led House Democrats during then-President Trump’s first impeachment proceedings.

Rivera’s announcement on Wednesday comes nearly two weeks after a New York Supreme Court justice approved a new congressional map for the Empire State. The primary is scheduled for Aug. 23.

“The issues New Yorkers face have only grown in their impact, but my record proves I’m well equipped to help deliver solutions as a Member of Congress, just like I have as a member of the City Council,” Rivera said in a statement.

She pointed to inequalities that have been driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that the government has to “adapt to a new generation.”

“After two years of a pandemic exacerbating inequities among so many of our communities, the need for our government to adapt to a new generation and the issues we face has never been clearer — and New Yorkers are hungry for leadership and vision that’s as bold as it is pragmatic in taking on those fights,” she wrote.

In announcing the bid, Rivera’s campaign highlighted achievements when it comes to reproductive rights, housing, jobs, climate change and public safety. According to the campaign, Rivera championed the establishment of a municipal program that funds abortion care for individuals who cannot fully afford the service, and she helped drive the creation of the first digital skills training center in New York City.

In a video rolling out her campaign, Rivera said, “I’m running for Congress to continue delivering for the communities that raised me, to make ours a city that works for all of us.”

Rivera was born and raised in Manhattan and has served on the city council since 2018.