With a roughly 26 point lead over incumbent Eliot Engel, newcomer Jamaal Bowman spent this morning thanking Co-op City residents for their support.
Bowman addressed the media and then greeted people at Bartow Shopping Center at 2067 Bartow Ave. While he is still awaiting the official count, Bowman feels confident in the victory.
“I think what the results show is that the district is ready for a change,” Bowman said. “I am thankful they chose me to be a part of that change. It’s not just about me. It’s about the voices of the people in the district.”
Bowman has been an educator and advocate for public schools for over 20 years and most recently served as principal for the Cornerstone Academy for Social Action (CASA), a public middle school he founded in 2009 in Baychester.
He said it felt good to hold a press conference where everything started. Co-op City is less than half a mile from CASA and where he held one of his first rallies when his campaign began.
The rally was against the MTA, which had planned cuts to buses, which would heavily affect Co-Cop City, as it is the largest retirement community in the world, Bowman stressed.
“I had the privilege of serving as an educator for 10 and a half years and now I look forward to serving as a Congressman in this district for many years to come,” he said. “Co-op City is a special place.’’
Bowman noted that hearing about people waiting online two hours to vote in places like Mount Vernon and Yonkers, was disturbing. He questioned how voter suppression was still going on in 2020.
Addressing a question from the Bronx Times, Bowman said growing up he just wanted to play sports with his friends and never pictured himself being involved in politics.
But seeing the systemic racism, police brutality, underfunded schools, homelessness and many other issues, he felt compelled to help his community.
“I want to thank all the voters from the bottom of my heart who believed in me,” Bowman said. “I learned so much as an educator and as a black man in America. There are too many people suffering in this country and that’s unacceptable.”
