The Bronx Assembly races ended Tuesday night with victories for all three Democratic incumbents.
Michael Benedetto of the 82nd District, Landon Dais of the 77th District and Amanda Septimo of the 84th District will each advance to the November general election and are all but certain to be re-elected in their heavily Democratic districts.
While all 150 Assembly seats will be on the ballot in November, only three representing the Bronx faced primary challenges from within the Democratic party.
All 11 members of the Assembly who represent the Bronx are Democrats ranging from moderate to progressive. Assembly members serve two-year terms with no term limits for an annual base salary of $142,000.
Benedetto vs. Soto (82nd District)
The race for the 82nd Assembly district pitted the 20-year incumbent Benedetto against a familiar opponent, 39-year-old Jonathan Soto, who tried to unseat Benedetto in the 2022 primary election.
This time around, Benedetto received 62% of the vote, and Soto received 37.65% — only slightly above the 36% support he pulled in during his unsuccessful 2022 bid.
Despite the repeat loss, Soto — a public schools advocate and former staffer for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — said he would remain dedicated to his work in the district.
“Our work doesn’t end on Election Day, and I’m looking forward to continue organizing for fully-funded schools, truly affordable housing, clean air and water, and worker power for the 82nd Assembly District,” said Soto in a text message to the Bronx Times on Tuesday afternoon.
A June 24 post on X by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) said that independent polling had put Soto “on the verge of a major victory” and that if he won, he would be the first socialist elected in the Bronx in 100 years. The post did not cite or link to the polling.
The Bronx Times reached out to the DSA party for comment on the race and use of polling and is awaiting response.
In addition to backing by the DSA, Soto also gained support from Bronx State Senator Gustavo Rivera, as well as Council Member Chi Ossé of Brooklyn and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, both known for their progressive stances.
Upon winning re-election, Benedetto, who chairs the Education Committee, told the Bronx Times he plans to stick to what has worked over his long Assembly career.
“I will continue to do what I’ve done in the past,” he said. “That is to listen to the people. Find out what their problems are, what their views are, and try to follow that lead to deciding upon issues up in Albany that affect the entire state to judge upon them in a fair light, not to automatically dismiss anything, but to judge and weigh the pros and the cons of all the bills that come before me and then make a what’s hopefully a sound decision.”
Although Benedetto is in his 70s, he gained the support of some young people, including first-time voter Alyssa Valentin of Gun Hill, who canvassed for his campaign.
“I am supporting Assemblyman Michael Benedetto for his work with the education system,” said Valentin. “Everyone who is around him knows that he really cares about his community.”
Dais vs. Coello (77th District)
Dais, a first-time lawmaker, has already served six months in the Assembly after winning February’s special election to replace Latoya Joyner, who abruptly resigned at the start of the 2024 session.
With a total of 3,167 votes cast in the June 25 primary, Dais won with 58.64% of the vote and his opponent Leonardo Coello at 40.89%.
Coello, who serves as Bronx borough director for the mayor’s office, has said the February special election was hastily arranged and did not allow enough time for candidates — which might have included himself — to come forward. Only 1,525 votes were cast in the special election.
Throughout the race and in a debate aired on BronxNet, Coello flexed his cultural bona fides as a Bronx native and Spanish speaker in a district that is 60% Hispanic. But Dais, who is originally from East Harlem, said in a statement issued June 26 that he was able to build a “diverse and inclusive coalition” toward the victory.
“We achieved significant wins in majority Latino districts and received overwhelming support from the West African and African American communities,” he said.
In interviews and on the campaign trail, Dais pointed to achievements during his brief time in the seat, including passage of a bill to criminalize deed theft and securing $2 million in funding for STEM labs at ten schools within District 9. He was endorsed by Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and numerous other Bronx elected officials and unions.
Coello told the Bronx Times he will return to his post in the mayor’s office and that his campaign — as launched with the encouragement of community members — made a difference in Bronx civic engagement.
“Through our efforts, we were able to highlight how communities can come together to advocate for the changes they wish to see and to understand the pivotal role they play in the democratic process,” he said in an email statement. “We have fostered a more informed and engaged community, and I am confident that these efforts will continue to bear fruit in the future.”
Septimo vs. Feliciano (84th District)
The race between incumbent Amanda Septimo and challenger Hector Feliciano was exceptionally quiet, with the incumbent barely addressing the lead-up to primary day on her social media accounts and with seemingly minimal promotion within the district. Still, Septimo, a Hunts Point native, won nearly 73% of the vote.
“Thank you to everyone single person who played a role in getting us to this moment,” she said in an Instagram post late Wednesday afternoon.
Feliciano, who ran against Septimo in 2022, is the director of a college preparatory program, according to his campaign website on which no contact information was provided.
The June 25 victory for Septimo was by a much wider margin than in the 2022 primary, when she won 49.9% of the vote, defeating Alberto Torres with 34.9% and Feliciano coming in third with 14.7%.
Septimo, who also won election to the Democratic District Leadership, organized a well-attended response to former President Donald Trump’s May 24 rally in Crotona Park. She serves on Assembly committees for education, agriculture, environmental conservation and more.
Additional reporting by Maya Stahl.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
