Harlem Assembly Race Heats Up: Who Will Replace Robert Rodriguez?

EAST HARLEM, NY — For the second time in less than three months, Harlem has a rare vacancy for one of its seats in the state legislature — and candidates are lining up for a chance at being picked for the Democratic Party nomination.

The opening in the 68th Assembly District comes after longtime Assemblymember Robert Rodriguez was chosen by Gov. Kathy Hochul to be New York's next Secretary of State. Rodriguez assumed the office this month, creating a vacancy in his district, which covers East Harlem and parts of Central Harlem and the Upper East Side.

A special election to replace Rodriguez has been set for Jan. 18. Before that, this coming Saturday, district leaders from around the neighborhood will meet to choose a party nominee — likely guaranteeing their eventual victory in the heavily Democratic district.

Here's a rundown of the candidates who Patch has heard may be running.

The candidates

Several names were shared with Patch by Kyle Ishmael, vice-chair of the Manhattan Democratic Party, though he stressed that more people could put their names forward as late as Saturday morning. Other candidates' bids were first reported last month by City & State.

• Eddie Gibbs: a local district leader Gibbs confirmed in a message to Patch that he is seeking the seat. Gibbs ran in the same district in 2006 and 2010, saying he would "make history" as the first formerly-incarcerated state lawmaker. (Gibbs served over five years in prison for committing manslaughter at NYCHA's Johnson Houses in East Harlem, with other arrests for domestic violence and drug sales, according to the Daily News.)
• Wilfredo Lopez: an East Harlem resident, Lopez has worked as legislative director for outgoing Councilmember Ben Kallos — the Upper East Side lawmaker whose district includes a sliver of East Harlem. Lopez confirmed his candidacy in a message to Patch, saying he looked forward to "a positive and spirited race to represent our district."
• Tamika Mapp: likely one of the better-known candidates seeking the 68th District seat, Mapp most recently ran against Councilmember Diana Ayala in the June primary for her East Harlem seat, finishing with about 29 percent of votes to Ayala's 57 percent. Last year, Mapp challenged Rodriguez for the same Assembly seat, winning a surprisingly strong 44 percent of primary votes. Mapp is the founder of East Harlem Insurance Brokerage and Tax Service, and serves as a Democratic State Committeewoman
• Peggy Morales: Morales is a longtime district leader affiliated with East Harlem's El Nuevo Caribe Democratic Club
• Harry Rodriguez: a fellow district leader connected to El Nuevo Caribe, Rodriguez is also in the mix, according to City & State. Professionally, he has worked as president of Harry Rodriguez and Associates, a housing development company, according to an online profile.
• John Ruiz-Miranda: an East Harlem district leader, Ruiz-Miranda previously challenged Rodriguez for the 68th District seat in 2018, winning 25 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary.
• Xavier Santiago: Santiago is a film producer and the vice-chair of Community Board 11.
• Hilda Candy Vives-Vasquez: a longtime leader of the 116th Street Block Association, Vives-Vasquez has put her name forward, according to City & State.

The 68th Assembly District spans between East 92nd Street to the south and East 132nd Street to the north. It includes Randall's Island to the east, while to the west, it runs as far as St. Nicholas Avenue, including landmarks like Marcus Garvey Park, Mount Sinai Hospital and the northern quarter of Central Park.

Rodriguez has represented the district since 2011. His father, also named Robert Rodriguez, served in the New York City Council. He is currently serving as acting Secretary of State, pending confirmation by the State Senate.

The process to nominate his replacement will look much like the September meeting that followed the appointment of Brian Benjamin as lieutenant governor — creating a vacancy in his Central Harlem State Senate seat. That process resulted in the nomination of Cordell Cleare, who was ultimately elected in November.

Saturday's nominating meeting will be held at 10 a.m. at the James Weldon Johnson Children’s Center at 1827 Lexington Ave., near East 113th Street. It will be livestreamed on the Manhattan Democratic Party Facebook page.

Related coverage: Harlem Assemblyman Rodriguez Tapped As Secretary Of State