Wash Heights Pol Named 2nd Most Powerful Person In Manhattan

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — City & State published Monday its annual list of the 100 most powerful people in Manhattan. Washington Heights and Inwood Congressman Adriano Espaillat was named the second most powerful person in the borough for 2021.

The power list featured public officials, business executives, hospital CEOs, community leaders, and consultants, but almost all of them ranked under Espaillat for the most influence wielded in Manhattan.

Only Rep. Jerry Nadler was ranked above Espaillat on the list.

Espaillat was elected to Congress in 2016, becoming the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.

His congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill, and the northwest Bronx.

Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, and as a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Here's what City & State had to say about ranking Espaillat No. 2 on its list of the 100 most powerful people in Manhattan in 2021.

"When Rep. Adriano Espaillat was first elected to Congress in 2016, his victory signified the growing political power of Dominican Americans in Upper Manhattan," wrote the City & State staff. "Espaillat has leveraged that still-expanding influence to great success in the past year. His backing helped propel four City Council candidates to victory in the June primary – including two running for seats in Manhattan – and boosted New York City Council Member Mark Levine’s successful campaign to become Manhattan borough president."

Espaillat was far from the only Washington Heights and Inwood figure to make the 2021 Manhattan power list.

• 22. Mark Levine: City Council Member/Democratic Nominee For Manhattan Borough President
• 25. Robert Jackson: State Senator
• 26. Luis Miranda: Founding Partner of MirRam Group
• 37. Carmen De La Rosa: Assembly Member/Democratic Nominee For City Council District 10
• 56. Shaun Abreu (Along with other NYC Council Primary Winners): Democratic Nominee For City Council District 7 (Levine's replacement)
• 83. Al Taylor: Assembly Member

Here is the overall top 10 list from the 2021 Manhattan power ranking:

1. Jerry Nadler: Member of Congress
2. Adriano Espaillat: Member of Congress
3. Liz Krueger: State Senator
4. Brian Benjamin: Lieutenant Governor
5. Richard Gottfried: Assembly Member
6. Carolyn Maloney: Member of Congress
7. Al Sharpton: Founder and President of National Action Network
8. Gale Brewer: Manhattan Borough President
9. Kathryn Wylde: President and CEO of Partnership for New York City
10. Michael Dowling: President and CEO of Northwell Health

You can check out the full list on the City & State website.