Here is a profile by the Bronx News Network on Assemblyman Nelson Castro who beat back a challenge by District Leader Hector Ramirez. No big deal that another incumbent won, but what makes his win significant is that Ramirez was backed by Bx. Boss Carl Heastie, Ruben Diaz, Jr. and the rest of their cabal. In fact, Heastie stayed out of the Espada race and most other races to focus on this one. So it was the premiere race for Heastie & Co. and they flopped -- so is Bronx County a paper tiger?
Finally someone publicly acknowledges the significance of Nelson's victory. County is going to spin this as though they lost only one race out of the many others that they endorsed. However, county did not invest the time, energy, capital into those other endorsements / races like they did against Nelson Castro. Spin that!
ReplyDeleteBecoming The new Bronx County Democratic chair: $100,000 + (the 2008 campaign)
ReplyDeleteSecuring Endorsements from the Bronx BP, Rev. Al Sharpton, a slew of Elected Officials and Unions to topple Nelson Castro: $500,000
Getting Spanked, getting yours and your cronies’ asses handed to you by the Nelson Castro community, and being called a "LOSER" by City Hall News: Priceless!
the wheels of the gods grind slowly,but grind they do.
ReplyDeleteHECTOR RAMIREZ LOSS IS HIS OWN LOSS, LESS OF BRONX MACHINERY
ReplyDeleteNelson Castro won the primary campaign not only because he was fighting for his life on the political campaign grounds but also because Hector Ramirez has had problems speaking the English language. Fundamentally, his English deficiency was what caused him to be defeated. Though his political consultants crunched the numbers and projected him as winner, had he spoke better English he would have probably reached out to a few more voters and really beat Mr. Castro. Further, it is very likely that a few insiders were worried that if he wins, Bronx Democrats would lose in the long run when Albany realize how inefficient he is as a politician.
Nights before the primary, I bumped into Mr. Ramirez and greeted him and suddenly he was extremely cocky to me. It was as though he felt that the elections were over, and won, and should somehow be entitled to glory or some sort. That moment was when I realized he is going to lose big time, and that his loss will be his loss only -- not the loss of the Bronx Machinery. Mr. Ramirez has a lot of personal issues that the Machinery cannot control, which reflects much on his political maturity. Normally I'd give an elected official three two-year terms before he or she gets extremely cocky. But Mr. Ramirez caught the bug before even winning a primary election.
Going back to his language issue, I cannot find ONE online video of him speaking in English. However, I did find a video of him being interviewed at NY1noticias in Spanish, and his Spanish is also weak:
http://www.ny1noticias.com/content/124139/dos-dominicanos-hablan-sobre-sus-candidaturas-a-la-asamblea
Business is business. If I call RadioShack for an inquiry and Hector Ramirez is my customer service representative, who cannot speak English (nor Spanish) to me, I will hang up and ask for assistance from another employee. Plain and simple. Mr. Ramirez is unfit for any job that requires him to represent and entity and communicate with others effectively. Granted, Bronx Dems feel a bit embarrassed by Ramirez's loss. But they saved themselves from what could have been a calumnious humiliation from the rest of the state with Hector Ramirez "speaking" on behalf of his district in the chambers.
Bronx Machinery has nothing to lose in Ramirez's loss. Initially, Bronx Dem's only loss is having to initially support him for political reasons. Mr. Castro has been loyal to Mr. Jose Rivera. Okay, it makes sense not to support Mr. Castro, and I bet Castro himself understands that as well. The machinery could play politics if the feel, but at least do it with integrity. Mr. Ramirez represents the opposite of integrity. Bronx Machinery will not feel ashamed of themselves for Ramirez's campaign loss if they believe that his own lack of English proficiency was what caused him to lose by a few votes.
If Mr. Ramirez wants to be a public servant, he should walk three blocks up from where he live and register for some remedial language courses at Bronx Community College.