Public Employee Press

Diaz wins for Bronx BP

The DC 37 Green Machine of union volunteers worked hard and helped three candidates win special elections in the Bronx recently. Ruben Diaz coasted to victory April 21 with 87 percent of the votes for borough president.

Diaz named 27-year New York State Assembly member Aurelia Greene as his deputy, and a special election was held June 2 to fill the Assembly seats vacated by Diaz (85th District, Soundview and Hunts Point) and Greene (77th District, Highbridge and Morrisania). In those races, DC 37 activists helped elect candidates Marcos Crespo, 28, in the 85th District and Vanessa Gibson, 30, in the 77th District. Both were staff members of Albany legislators.

As borough president, Diaz said he would push a Bronx agenda that includes affordable housing, better schools and jobs for the borough’s 1.4 million residents.

He will serve for the remaining year of the term of Aldolfo Carrion, who became director of urban policy for the Obama administration.

Prior to his election to the most powerful position in the borough, Diaz, 35, represented his district for 13 years in the Assembly.