(Photo: Menchaca campaign)

Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez does not forget. And she does not forgive.

Accordingly, Ms. Velázquez is now hoping to unseat Councilwoman Sara Gonzalez, who endorsed Ms. Velázquez's primary challenger last year. And she's given the maximum contribution to Ms. Gonzalez's opponent, Carlos Menchaca, part of an overall haul of $40,000 overall in just two weeks.

"I am impressed by how much Carlos has achieved in such a short period of time," Ms. Velázquez said in a statement this morning. “He is a fundraising powerhouse with a large coalition of progressive leaders, activists, and organizations boosting his campaign; he will have the resources and support to win."

In the same press release, Mr. Menchaca, a former staffer in Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Borough President Marty Markowitz's offices, also touted his SEIU 32BJ endorsement over the weekend. He was the only challenger to an incumbent Democratic council member to receive the union's nod.

If elected, Mr. Menchaca would be the first openly LGBT elected official in Brooklyn, and the first Mexican-American elected official anywhere in the city, according to his campaign. The district he's vying for contains a substantial Mexican-American community in Sunset Park.

In 2012, Ms. Velázquez beat back a challenge from Councilman Erik Dilan, whose campaign was backed by the Brooklyn Democratic establishment. Since then, she's supported opponents of several of Mr. Dilan's other allies, including his father, State Senator Martin Dilan, as well as Assemblymen Rafael Espinal and Vito Lopez.

(Photo: Getty)

Three members of New York City's congressional delegation have signed on to a letter vowing not to back any White House bargain to avoid the $85 billion in automatic budget cuts known as the sequester that includes cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Both parties have been at an impasse over the cuts with Democrats favoring debt reduction through tax increases and Republicans wanting spending cuts. President Barack Obama has repeatedly expressed a desire to make a deal ahead of the March 1 deadline that includes both tax increases and proposals to reduce the costs of social programs. Now, Congressmen Jerry Nadler, Jose Serrano and Nydia Velazquez have all signed the pledge promising not to back any deal including the compromises being called for by the White House.

"Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are the great bedrocks of our middle class society and, together, constitute an essential safety net for millions of Americans," Mr. Nadler said. "I will fight like hell against any deficit plan that cuts these programs or fails to address our immediate jobs problem. It is unconscionable for Republicans to ask those who can least afford it – seniors, kids, our most vulnerable families – to sacrifice even more and shoulder a disproportionate burden. I do not support anydeal that cuts Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits."

The letter signed by the trio of New York City House members was originally authored by Florida Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson and California Democratic Rep. Mark Takano. In the letter, they describe cuts to Medicare and Social Security as almost universally opposed by voters. With Mr. Nadler, Mr. Serrano and Ms. Valzquez on board at least 20 House members have signed the letter.

"We write to let you know that we will vote against any and every cut to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security benefits--including raising the retirement age or cutting the cost of living adjustments that our constituents earned and need," the letter says. "Finally, Americans agree that there is more that must be done to require the rich and giant corporations to pay their fair share. Indeed, it is their patriotic duty to do so. As you negotiate with Republicans, you deserve to know that millions of Americans and the below signed Members of Congress stand ready to fight for the principles listed above."

Several large progressive groups are pushing for more members of Congress to sign the letter including the Working Families Party, Moveon, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Democracy for America, CREDO Action and Social Security Works. They are also soliciting signatures from their membership to demonstrate support for the tough stance against cuts. This morning, the WFP sent out a letter to supporters urging them to sign on and noting "only three New York Representatives have signed the letter so far."

"We commend Representatives Nadler, Serrano and Velázquez for showing some backbone and standing up to protect New York's working families," Working Families Party founder Bill Lipton said in a statement. "After a decade where incomes have stagnated and sunk, New Yorkers cannot afford to have the benefits they have worked hard for cut back. We need to do more to protect our retirees and the most vulnerable, not less."

United participation from House Democrats is crucial to any potential budget bargain as a Tea Party bloc has committed to fighting tax increases. Because of this, a compromise would have to include participation from most Democrats and non-Tea Party Republicans. For his part, Mr. Serrano described the current climate is Washington as including an "obsession" with harmful cuts in his statement announcing his participation in the letter.

"Washington's current obsession with cuts must end. As the President has said, we cannot cut our way to prosperity. This is especially true of our safety net programs," said Mr. Serrano. "Cutting them unduly harms working families and retirees, provides no economic benefit and still asks nothing of the wealthy. I cannot support deficit reduction that targets these middle class mainstays."

(Photo: Facebook)

Jeff Kurzon, the managing partner of Manhattan law firm, says he's ready to run for Congress and challenge  Nydia Velázquez in the Democratic primary next year.

"Hi," Mr. Kurzon says on his recently-launched campaign website. "My name is Jeff Kurzon. I am a 36 year old attorney and have lived in both ends of District 7: from Bushwick in Brooklyn to Little Italy in Manhattan. I am a proud American with diverse roots ranging from Armenian to English, Irish and Scottish descent. My mother, a former social worker, now runs a small publishing business. My father is a retired physician who served in the U.S. Navy. I am Catholic, however, I respect all forms of spirituality that strengthens us as humans and connects us to each other and God."

Mr. Kurzon announced his campaign today in a press release sent out this morning. Although he didn't mention Ms. Velázquez by name, he criticized business as usual in Washington and corporate PAC contributions.

“Wealth and income disparity in our country is on an unsustainable course that needs to be reversed," he said in a statement. "Our politics fueled by corporate PAC spending are broken and no longer represent the values of the American people. We cannot let the interests of a few dictate the welfare of everyone.”

Mr. Kurzon certainly has an uphill battle ahead of him, however. Ms. Velázquez easily beat back a strong challenge from veteran Councilman Erik Dilan last year, decisively winning all parts of the tri-borough district except Mr. Dilan's base in northern Brooklyn and Hasidic Williamsburg. Without the backing of the Brooklyn county establishment--which Mr. Dilan had--it could be an even harder electoral slog for Mr. Kurzon.

Nydia Velázquez (photo: noh8campaign.com)

Veteran Congressman Charlie Rangel joined his New York colleague Nydia Velázquez and twenty-four other members of the U.S. House today to speak out against homophobia worldwide, and for gay marriage legislation, of course.

“I believe that hatred of any kind has no place in America. I'm proud to participate in a campaign that promotes the progress that our country has made over the past few years with regard to the rights of the LGBT community," Mr. Rangel said in a press release announcing his participation. "This is a wonderful way to support their struggle for equality and to discourage discrimination based on who people love."

For her part, Ms. Velázquez stated, “This is a very important issue for America and is a collaboration that is conducive to make our nation a more perfect union. It is a great day when there are efforts to promote peace, togetherness and respect and dignity for all human beings.”

The project in question is a series of stylish silent photos of subjects with duct tape over their mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced by California's Proposition 8, which restricted marriage between a man and a woman in 2008.

View all of the photos here, and Mr. Rangel's photo below:

Moshe Indig celebrating Nydia Velázquez's win last Tuesday. (Photo: NY1)

Anyone who follows northern Brooklyn politics enough quickly learns that there is an incredibly sharp political divide between the two rival factions in Hasidic Williamsburg, where the larger faction favors candidates backed by Brooklyn's Democratic leader Vito Lopez and the smaller one favors candidates he opposes. With both factions turning out in record numbers in last Tuesday's election where incumbent Rep. Nydia Velázquez thumped the Lopez-backed candidacy of Councilman Erik Dilan, that smaller faction decided to take a small victory lap today.

In a press release blasted out by George Arzt Communications, the same firm that worked for Ms. Velázquez's campaign, Rabbi Moshe Indig, a power broker in the the “Aroni” Satmar sect, declared his faction's ongoing success over Mr. Lopez.

"Though Velázquez lost in Williamsburg, the margin was slim among the Satmar – 47 percent – 43 percent – because of the support of the Aroynem," the statement declared, with Rabbi Indig adding, “This marks a new era in Brooklyn. In a short period of time the Aroynem have surged and matched the influence of the Zaloynim.”

The rabbi pointed to past victories as well, including Dan Squadron's successful campaign for the State Senate in 2008 and Lincoln Restler's bid for the state committee in 2010.

“In the last 3 years whoever the Aroynem have endorsed and supported in Brooklyn, have won,” he declared (This isn't technically true, as there was another council and district leadership race apiece that went Mr. Lopez's way in that timespan).

View the full statement below, which Brian Krapf, Executive Vice President at George Arzt, described as a "favor to Rabbi Indig" as opposed to anything from Ms. Velázquez's campaign:

NEWS RELEASE

THE SATMAR PEOPLE IN BROOKLYN FLEX POLITICAL MUSCLE IN NYDIA VELAZQUEZ RACE
---
AROYNEM SECT NEUTRALIZE IMPACT OF RIVAL ZALOYNIM IN
VELAZQUEZ LANDSLIDE VICTORY

(Brooklyn, NY: Friday, June 29, 2012) Any perceived advantage Brooklyn Democratic Chair Vito Lopez thought he had in Williamsburg’s Satmar Jewish community were strongly dispelled after 20 -year incumbent Nydia Velázquez easily cruised to reelection to Congress this week.

Lopez who tapped City Councilman Erik Dilan to challenge Congresswoman Velázquez, no doubt believed the lockstep support of his longtime allies, the Zaloynim, would be able to deliver all of Williamsburg to Dilan and a potential devastating blow to Velázquez’s reelection hopes. However, the Zaloynim’s rivals in the Satmar community, the Aroynem, who have grown in power since the communities split in 1999, voted en masse for Congresswoman Velázquez, helping her secure her landslide victory.

We certainly delivered a strong political message across the state with Nydia’s victory,” said a leader among the Aroynem, Rabbi Moshe Indig. “Williamsburg is no longer under the complete control of the Zaloynim – the Aroynem has just as much power and influence.”

Though Velázquez lost in Williamsburg, the margin was slim among the Satmar – 47 percent – 43 percent – because of the support of the Aroynem.

“This marks a new era in Brooklyn,” said Rabbi Indig. “In a short period of time the Aroynem have surged and matched the influence of the Zaloynim.”

The Aroynem point to the establishment of their social service organization the JCC of Williamsburg, which rivals the Zaloynim-controlled UJO headed by Rabbi David Niederman, as proof that the Aroynem are on equal footing with their rivals. They have also grown in numbers in Williamsburg and Borough Park in recent years. The Aroynem have 30,000 members in Brooklyn, and 15,000 boys and girls in their Brooklyn school district.

They also point to their successful support of other political leaders including State Senator Daniel Squadron. The Aroynem helped Squadron defeat incumbent State Senator Marty Connor who was backed by Vito Lopez and the Democratic organization. They also helped elect City Councilman David Greenfield and District Leader Lincoln Restler. It is widely reported that the Aroynem now have their sights set on the defeat of City Councilman Steve Levin.

“In the last 3 years whoever the Aroynem have endorsed and supported in Brooklyn, have won,” said Rabbi Indig.

The Aroynem have also exerted their power in Sullivan, Monticello and Orange Counties; Kiryas Joel; Monsey; Spring Valley; along with the Williamsburg and Borough Park sections of Brooklyn.

One of the more recent fights has involved 4 summer camps in Ulster County to which both sects send their children. Both the Aroynem and the Zaloynim laid claim to the camps and the disputes reached the courts. The court ruled they hand no grounds to adjudicate the dispute and urged both sides to negotiate an equitable solution.

While many urged that the Aroynem and Zaloynim to split the camps equally, Vito Lopez tipped the scales toward the Zaloynim with a visit to the Ulster County Executive, Mike Hein. With Lopez at the meeting was Assemblyman Joe Lentol, Councilmembers Steve Levin and Erik Dilan. After the Lopez-applied political pressure, Hein awarded all 4 camps to the Zaloynim in May 2012. The Aroynem have again gone to court, this time arguing Ulster County did not have the authority to award the camps. The case is ongoing.

Following the death of the Satmar Rebbee, Moshe Teitelbaum in April 2006, a succession feud erupted between his sons, Aaron and Zalman. Followers of each brother believe they are the Rebbee’s true successor. As a result these dual communities exist within Satmar communities such as Williamsburg.

Grace Meng declaring victory with a plethora of elected officials and press surrounding her.

After much tension and circumstance, today's primary elections for federal elections have come to a close, and there were few surprises to be found.

In each congressional race, the candidate of the conventional wisdom emerged victorious and all incumbents that sought to return to Washington D.C. next year are now set to do so -- at least in parts of heavily Democratic New York City where primary elections are the actual contest.

The list of primary champions includes Reps. Charlie Rangel, Nydia Velázquez and Yvette Clarke, with open seat contenders Hakeem Jeffries and Grace Meng added in as well.

In the U.S. Senate race, attorney Wendy Long defeated Re. Bob Turner and  Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos and will challenge Kirsten Gillibrand in the fall.

In the hotly contested race to challenge Hudson Valley Rep. Nan Hayworth, attorney Sean Patrick Maloney defeated his rivals and clinched the nomination.

Notably among the results, the much-hyped race between Councilman Charles Barron and Mr. Jeffries didn't turn out to be much of an affair after all. Mr. Jeffries absolutely dominated the vote, winning close to three quarters of the ballots.

Nydia Velázquez greets potential voters.

"She is going to say to you that Nydia Velázquez doesn't speak Cantonese, Fujianese, or Mandarin, but my heart does," Congresswoman Velázquez told a packed senior center off Mulberry Street in Manhattan. Although the line was a little cheesy, the cheered loudly when Councilwoman Margaret Chin finished translating it.

Ms. Chin, joined by Comptroller John Liu, was there to urge the center's elderly residents to vote in tomorrow's Democratic primary. The district, oddly configured, includes the heavily Chinese communities in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and Ms. Velázquez, with another campaign stop in Sunset Park in the afternoon, is clearly making a last-minute push for that community's support.

"I'm reaching out to everywhere, everywhere," Ms. Velázquez told The Politicker before addressing the crowd. “The Chinese community is an important community, I think [for] everything I've done for Chinese-Americans, I have to go back to remind them that this is important.  From immigration reform to health care, all of the money that we have secured from the federal government for the community health center in Chinatown in Sunset Park as well as here."

The incumbent congresswoman faces multiple challengers, notably Councilman Erik Dilan. While Mr. Dilan isn't campaigning heavily in the district's Chinese communities, another challenger, economist Dan O'Connor, is fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese and has been focused in these areas, resulting in the need for Ms. Velázquez to avoid having these votes siphoned off.

For her part, Ms. Chin's speech introducing Ms. Velázquez  was entirely in Chinese, but Mr. Liu used a translator to make an impassioned case for both Ms. Velázquez 's and Assemblywoman Grace Meng's congressional candidacies.

"So if you are in most of Queens ... remember, we vote for Grace Meng!" he declared. “They're not running against each other. We vote for Grace where we can, and we vote for Nydia where we can!"

Mr. Liu finished his speech by switching over to Mandarin, urging the audience to tóu piào, or vote. Upon hearing Mr. Liu delve into their language, the crowd went absolutely wild with applause. Ms. Velázquez subsequently made the rounds, shaking hands and introducing herself to smiling constituents.

(Photo: Getty)

It's late in the game with Election Day next Tuesday, but Governor Andrew Cuomo has finally signaled which Democrats he prefers in key primaries around the city. In two races where incumbents are facing serious challenges, Mr. Cuomo has favored the incumbent, while in the open seat competition to replace Rep. Ed Towns, he went with Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries over Councilman Charles Barron.

“I think he is best suited not just for the district for this state,” Mr. Cuomo told Capital Tonight to explain his endorsement of Congressman Charlie Rangel, first reported by the New York Post. “His seniority is a major asset for this state.”

"Nydia is one of New York's strongest advocates in Washington and she has proven time and again that she gets things done," the governor said about his backing of Rep. Nydia Velázquez is a press release sent out by her campaign earlier this afternoon. "Whether it is bringing much needed federal dollars for public housing, education and our green spaces or leading the charge to pass the Dream Act in the House, she can always be counted on to deliver results."

“Hakeem is an inspiring legislator who transcends individual communities and represents the best of a new generation of Democratic leadership,” Mr. Cuomo said in a statement obtained by the New York Daily News. “Hakeem’s priority is always to improve the lives of the people in his district and I look forward to the dynamic energy he is sure to bring to Washington.”

None of these endorsements are especially surprising -- it would be far more unusual for a sitting governor to endorse a challenger and the political establishment has rallied behind Mr. Jeffries -- but they represent a welcome news hit for each of the campaigns involved.

And, while the timing could have been more convenient so his image could be used in campaign literature and the like, Mr. Cuomo had vowed to wait for the legislative session to end before entering the world of political endorsements, which it did yesterday.

Nydia Velázquez (Photo: Wikimedia)

Councilman Erik Dilan, a candidate against veteran Rep. Nydia Velázquez, announced the backing of a number of notable elected officials at the end of last week (although some of the names on the list had actually endorsed the incumbent), and Ms. Velázquez has fired back with her own support this afternoon with Borough President Marty Markowitz and other officials.

"Nydia Velázquez has always been, and will always be one of Brooklyn's biggest supporters," Mr. Markowitz said in a statement. "Whenever a fight arises for the survival of Brooklyn's middle-class, support of small business or affordable housing, Congresswoman Velázquez has been there for us. Be there for her."

Also endorsing Ms. Velázquez today were Assembly Members Joan Millman and James Brennan, as well as Councilman Brad Lander.

Of course, these endorsements don't exactly come as a huge surprise. Mr. Lander had already been fundraising for her campaign while Ms. Millman, like Ms. Velázquez, is a political opponent of the Brooklyn Democratic organization. And Mr. Markowitz, having endorsed the congresswoman in a neighboring district he once contemplated running against, is likely to prefer incumbents by default.

Nevertheless, Ms. Velázquez is likely counting on doing well in the Brownstone Brooklyn portions of her district and the endorsements can't hurt with Election Day coming early next week.

Now, with New York’s federal elections only a few weeks away, we take a look at each of the competitive elections on June 26, take a guess at which way the paper will go and deduce what kind of an effect it will have.

Disagree? Make it known in the comments.

U.S. Senate Republican Primary—Bob Turner vs. Wendy Long vs. George Maragos

It is no by means a certainty that The Times will endorse in the GOP Senate primary, and if they do, expect it to be a hold-you-nose-and-vote-for-the-guy-who-is-marginally-better-than-the-rest kind of endorsement. Expect something along the lines of the paper’s endorsement of Mitt Romney in the presidential primary in April, in which they mocked Mr. Romney for abandoning his moderating tendencies and slammed GOP extremism before declaring the Massachusetts governor “the best choice of the field.” For this little noticed Senate race for the right to go up against Kirsten Gillibrand, the paper is likely to go with Bob Turner, a Queens businessman-turned-congressman, who is far less strident in his social views than Wendy Long and more dynamic than George Maragos. Mr. Turner is running very much as the candidate of New York City, and hometown pride may count for something here.

How Much Will It Matter?

On its face, probably not all that much, since to most of the GOP primary electorate the paper remains a liberal rag that frequently skirts the edge of treason, but with turnout expected to be low, there remain Republicans in wealthy parts of New York City suburbs who aren’t paying much attention to the race, and will only decide who to vote for at the last moment, so a nod from the paper of record could prove decisive.

NY08—Hakeem Jeffries vs. Charles Barron

Possibly the easiest choice for the board this election cycle. Hakeem Jeffries is everything The Times says they want in a candidate: he has a record on Rockefeller reform, prison reform, stop-and-frisk reform, redistricting reform. education reform. Did we mention he went to Georgetown and practiced law for Paul, Weiss? Charles Barron, meanwhile, a former Black Panther with a history of throwing rhetorical bombs, would have been wise to not show up for his endorsement interview.

How Much Will It Matter?

In the more affluent parts of the district, Times penetration is strong, but those votes were going to likely go to Mr. Jeffries anyway. If anything, look for Mr. Barron to use the paper’s endorsement of Mr. Jeffries as further proof that he is the insurgent running against the establishment.

NY07—Nydia Velazquez vs. Erik Dilan

Nydia Velazquez is by no means a perfect pol from The Times standpoint—too slavishly devoted to organized labor and a little wobbly on Israel, but far far better than Erik Dilan, who is closely allied with Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Vito Lopez—a no-no from the paper’s standpoint. Plus, Ms. Velazquez has made fighting poverty a priority, as has The Times, while Mr. Dilan has been right of center in the City Council and has been less than transparent about his campaign finance filings.

How Much Will It Matter?

As these things go, it could matter quite a bit. The newly redesigned NY07 skips through some affluent neighborhoods in brownstone Brooklyn and on the east side of Manhattan where Times readership is pretty high.

NY13: Charlie Rangel vs. Adriano Espaillat vs. Clyde Williams vs. Joyce Johnson

At last, a real choice for the board. In 2010, they endorsed Joyce Johnson, a Seagram’s exec with limited political experience, but they couldn’t then endorse Charlie Rangel, whose use of rent-stabilized apartments for campaign purposes—a story that the Times uncovered—led to the longtime pol’s censure in the House. But Ms. Johnson is by no means a lock this time around, since Mr. Rangel is facing far more credible opponents. Clyde Williams, a former aide in both the Clinton and Obama White Houses, represents a new face of African-American leadership and has run a substantive campaign. Adriano Espaillat is vying to become the first Dominican in Congress, and the paper likes for minority groups to be represented by their own. And don’t discount the possibility that the board decides that the threat of losing an institution like Mr. Rangel is too grave. Mr. Espaillat’s campaign hasn’t been as policy heavy as the paper would like, but expect ethnic considerations to win out over Mr. Williams by a nose, with Mr. Rangel remaining a dark horse contender.

How Much Will It Matter?

The newly reconfigured NY13 lost the Upper West Side—which probably has the highest concentration of Times readers on the planet—and so won’t count for all that much in a new district that covers Harlem and parts of the South Bronx.

NY6: Grace Meng vs. Rory Lancman vs. Elizabeth Crowley

This is a hard one to figure, and oddly, probably depends a lot on what the Times decides to do with the Rangel race. Like Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Meng is a pathbreaking candidate, vying to be the first Asian-American from New York to serve in Congress. And the newly reconfigured district is a majority Asian. Still Rory Lancman has run a specific, policy oriented campaign, and the hard-charging Asssemblyman fits the profile of the kind of pol that The Times likes. And Ms. Meng’s ties to the Queens County Democratic Party—who have fended off accusations of throwing surrogate candidates onto the ballot to weaken Mr. Lancman—will hurt her.  If the paper goes with Mr. Espaillat in a majority Hispanic district, it likely frees the board to go with Mr. Lancman here. If not, Ms. Meng has a better shot. Elizabeth Crowley has struggled on the stump, and isn’t likely to merit serious consideration.

How Much Will It Matter?
Quite a bit in some of the more affluent neighborhoods of Queens  around Forest Hills. Mr. Lancman is counting on those voters coming home to him, so it could be devastating if the paper goes with Ms. Meng.