Rangel: ‘If not me, who?’
In redistricting, N.Y. Democrat might not like the answer
NEW YORK — Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., survived the Korean War, served long enough to become the third-most senior lawmaker in the U.S. House, and won re-election in 2010 even after he was censured by his colleagues for multiple ethics violations, but he now faces one of the more unforgiving enemies in political life: redistricting. “You may not like me after 40 years, but the question has to be: Who’s going to better protect you?” a bullish Rangel said on a Harlem street corner, surrounded by dozens of supporters chanting his name as he ticked off a list of his accomplishments. “The real question is: If not me, who?” The new district includes a 10% boost in the Hispanic population and nearly three in 10 district residents have never previously been represented by Rangel, providing an entry for an ambitious, younger Hispanic politician, state Sen. Adriano Espaillat, to launch an insurgent bid for the seat Rangel has held without significant opposition since 1970. “I walk around and you see here, even in (Rangel’s) home base, it feels disenchanted and abandoned. People say consistently that they want change, that it’s time to turn the page,” Espaillat told USA TODAY. The new district is a result of the once-a-decade process to redraw congressional district lines based on population shifts as counted by the U.S. Census. The district still includes Rangel’s Harlem home base, but heavily Hispanic neighborhoods in the Bronx make it a 55% Hispanic-majority district for the first time. As a result, ethnic politics are playing a key role in the primary June 26. Espaillat is the leading contender among the four candidates challenging Rangel, and he is the only His- panic in an otherwise AfricanAmerican field. In announcing his campaign in March, he spoke of his work for “our community” and said the newly drawn predominantly Latino district needs a lawmaker “who represents us.” If elected, he would be the first Dominican American to serve in Congress. Ermida Galvan, 55, a sanitation worker from the Washington Heights neighborhood, cited shared Dominican roots when asked why she supports Espaillat. “He’s one of us, and he is a good person,” she said. The anti-incumbent Campaign for Primary Accountability super PAC will also back Espaillat in the closing weeks of the race, CPA spokesman Curtis Ellis said. “We see Mr. Espaillat as the credible challenger here,” he said, adding that CPA will probably engage with radio ads, campaign mailers and online advocacy. Espaillat will need a dramatic turnout of the district’s Hispanic voters in his favor if he stands a chance of ousting an incumbent — a tough electoral feat. Accord- ing to the Center for Responsive Politics, since 1964, the lowest percentage of incumbents winning re-election was 85%. In 2002, the last time congressional districts were redrawn, 96% of incumbents were re-elected. Espaillat’s campaign has focused on the Hispanic communities in the district because he is unlikely to chip away at Rangel’s support among the African-American community. “Charlie’s done a lot for the community. I feel he deserves another chance and another opportunity,” said Harlem resident and Rangel supporter Leonard Boykin, 38, who is unemployed. Rangel’s ties to the Hispanic community also run deep in the district — he has the support of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “For some voters, it could represent a choice between the old guard and the new guard,” said Jessica Taylor, an elections analyst for the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report. Espaillat, 57, has made efforts to highlight Rangel’s tenure and age, a strategy aided by the fact that Rangel, 81, is recovering from back surgery, which left him absent from Washington for two months and sometimes reliant on a walker. He did not appear with his walker at a recent campaign event. Espaillat’s campaign could benefit from the national wave of malaise toward Congress. With approval ratings hovering in the low teens, other veteran lawmakers have gone down in primaries this year, including Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., one of the two most senior Senate Republicans, and Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa., the dean of his state’s delegation. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, lost his primary Tuesday. Rep. Pete Stark, DCalif., a 40-year House lawmaker, faces an unusually difficult battle for his primary June 5. In the home stretch, Rangel and Espaillat have been firing back and forth with endorsements from prominent New York officials. Espaillat has touted the nods of Bronx-based and Latino politicians, including Bronx Councilman Oliver Koppell and former Bronx presidents Adolfo Carrion and Freddy Ferrer. Rangel has the backing of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Rep. José Serrano, D-N.Y.