Bronx Republican Party

The Bronx Republican Party, more commonly known as the Bronx GOP, is a regional affiliate of the United States Republican Party for the Borough of the Bronx in New York City, New York.[1]

Bronx Republican Party
ChairmanMichael Rendino[1]
IdeologyConservatism
National affiliationRepublican Party
Regional affiliationNew York Republican State Committee
Colors  Red
New York State Assembly (Bronx Seats)
0 / 11
New York State Senate (Bronx Seats)
0 / 6
Citywide Executive Offices
0 / 5
New York City Council (Bronx Seats)
0 / 7
Website
www.thebronxgop.com

Leadership

Unlike most other county affiliates for the Republican Party, mostly due to the small size of the Bronx GOP, they do not maintain a traditional committee, instead simply having a chairman and a leader for each seat in the New York State Assembly.[1]

The Current Chairman is Michael Rendino, who was elected in 2016 and re-elected to the office in 2019.[1]

History

Malcolm Smith bribery scandal

On April 2, 2013, the party's chairman Joseph J. Savino was arrested on charges of corruption for accepting a bribe from Democratic State Senator Malcolm Smith to secure the Republican nomination for the 2013 New York City mayoral election. He would be succeeded by John Greaney, a navy veteran and firefighter from the September 11th attacks and a former civil employee who raised concerns as he was a personal friend of Savino and had thousands of dollars of debt.[2]

2016 election
Main article: 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries

During the 2016 Republican Party presidential primaries, the New York Republican State Committee awarded 3 delegates to the Republicans of the 15th district which is solely in the Bronx. Meaning the small Bronx Republican party suddenly found themselves in the midst of a heated race between Ted Cruz and Donald Trump to secure their delegates. The New York Times assessed Bronx Republicans where the most "powerful" Republicans in the country, with only 741 voters for every 1 delegate. The Bronx GOP backed Donald Trump, in part due to the Trump Links golf course at Ferry Point Park which improved the local economy, and in part because Ted Cruz did not tell the party he would be visiting the Bronx, with a Democratic State Senator.[3][4]

Shortly after the election, the chairman John Greaney stepped down due to health complications from the September 11th attacks, and a new chairman, former vice-chairman Michael Rendino was elected in a local sports bar.[5]

2020 election
Main article: 2020 United States presidential election

In 2020, Donald Trump received 15.7% of the Borough's vote, compared to 9.4% in 2016, which was the steepest pro-Trump increase across the city, which saw a general pro-Republican trend during the election.[6]

2021 election
Main article: 2021 New York City mayoral election

During the 2021 New York City mayoral election, the party endorsed Fernando Mateo for the Republican nomination. Mateo, the spokesmen for Hispanics Across America, and the state Federation of Taxi Drivers, was the first latino immigrant to run for mayor as a Republican. Despite another endorsement from the Queens Republican Party, Mateo would be unable to secure the third endorsement to become candidate, instead Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island's party would endorse Curtis Sliwa.[7]

2022 election
Main article: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in New York

In the 2022 election for District 14, the Bronx GOP stood a candidate, Tina Forte, which defeated Queens Republican Desi Joseph Cuellar in a primary to go on to face Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.[8] Cortez would handily win 70% to 23%.

2023 election
Main article: 2023 New York City Council election

Despite the party's small size, they have undergone a concerted effort to launch a competitive campaign for the 13th city council district held by first term councilwoman Marjorie Velázquez.[9] Kristy Marmorato, chairman Michael Rendino's sister, won the party's primary, in a move that has been decried as nepotism, despite Rendino having no say in the primary.[10][11] George Havranek, Marmorato's challenger in the primary, was also accused of committing electoral fraud by forging signatures, and admitted to donating to Velázquez's campaign in 2021.[12] Marmorato would go on to win after a run-off election, and secure the endorsement of the Conservative Party.[13][14] The City has assessed the campaign will be close due to the local Hispanic population shifting away from Velázquez due to the ongoing housing crisis.[15]

In the 17th District, the Bronx GOP candidate, Rosalie Nieves, is running unopposed and will face off against incumbent democrat Rafael Salamanca, and Gonzalo Duran, Salamanca's democratic challenger who has secured the Conservative Party's nomination.[16]

Elected officials

As of 2023, the Bronx GOP has no elected officials in the New York Senate, New York House of Representatives, Mayor of New York, or New York City Council.

The last Republican city councilman in the Bronx was Joseph Savino Jr., who left office in 1983 and was a councilman at-large, an office that does not exist anymore.[9] There has never been a Republican Borough president of the Bronx.

See Also

References
  1. "about us". thebronxgop.com. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  2. Fermino, Jennifer; Sandoval, Edgar (9 April 2013). "New Bronx Republican Chairman John Greaney has dubious financial past". New York Daily News. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  3. Detrow, Scott (14 April 2016). "Why Republicans In The Bronx And Other Deep-Blue Districts Are Suddenly So Popular". NPR. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  4. Buchanan, Larry; Cohn, Nate; Katz, Josh; Keller, Josh (17 April 2016). "The Most Powerful Republican Voters in the Country Are in the Bronx". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  5. "NEWS RELEASE". Facebook. Bronx GOP. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  6. Ngo, Emily (2 December 2020). "Election Results Show Support for Donald Trump Grew in Deep-Blue NYC". NY1. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  7. Gartland, Michael (25 February 2021). "NYC mayoral hopeful Fernando Mateo snags endorsements from Bronx and Queens Republicans". New York Daily News. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  8. Sequeira, Robbie (24 August 2022). "Bronx native Tina Forte clinches GOP nomination, to face AOC in NY-14 Congressional race". politicsny.com. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  9. Francica, Eleonora; Gronewold, Anna; Goldenberg, Sally (24 January 2023). "GOP eyes City Council seat in the Bronx after midterm gains". politico. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  10. Botello, Camille (19 June 2023). "Charges of nepotism and concerns over support for the primary winner highlight CD-13 Republican debate". Bronx Times-Reporter. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  11. Gartland, Michael (9 April 2013). "Bronx Council race heats up with GOP hopefuls backed by Jan. 6 insurrectionist and Proud Boy supporter". New York Daily News. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  12. Schneider, Aliya (15 June 2023). "Bronx GOP protests Republican challenger George Havranek as CD-13 primary heats up". Bronx Times-Reporter. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  13. Schneider, Aliya (28 June 2023). "Marmorato, Havranek advance to second round of voting in razor-thin CD-13 GOP primary". Bronx Times-Reporter. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  14. Schneider, Aliya (22 February 2023). "Bronx GOP endorses Kristy Marmorato, sister of county chair, for Velázquez's district". Bronx Times-Reporter. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  15. Custodio, Jonathan (26 May 2023). "Carpenters Union Would Take Marjorie Velázquez Over Jesus Christ, But Will Bronx Voters?". The City. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  16. Sequeira, Robbie (17 May 2023). "Knocked out of Dem primary, CD17 challenger Gonzalo Duran pivots to Conservative Party ballot line". Bronx Times-Reporter. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
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