The Latino Victory Fund declared endorse for Carlina Rivera, the Democratic candidate for New York's 10th Congressional District. If elected, Rivera will be the first Latina elected to represent the newly designed congressional district, which includes the diverse neighborhoods of the East Village, Flatiron, Gramercy Park, Rose Hill, Kips Bay, Murray Hill and the Lower East Side. She will run in the Aug. 23 primary with 12 other Democratic candidates.

The organization is a progressive initiative founded in 2014 by Henry R. Muñoz III and actress Eva Longoria and aims to improve the representation of the Latino community in local and national elections by funding candidates, raising awareness of Hispanic issues, and building a community of political talent and resources for Latino causes, according to Latino Victory webmail.

Carlina Rivera, a New York City Council member who currently represents the East Side of Manhattan, “billing herself as the only candidate “who was born and raised and cut my teeth in the district”, she told City & State. She introduced and passed laws relating to sexual harassment, immigration, criminal justice reform, affordable housing and small business survival.

“Carlina was born and raised in the 2nd District of Lower Manhattan by a single mother who emigrated from Puerto Rico. She began her career in afterschool programming, working with children at some of New York City’s highest-needs schools. She went on to serve her local community, creating and organizing initiatives for seniors and homeless New Yorkers as Director of Programs and Services at Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES), a local non-profit focused on social justice”, according to New York City Council.

Rivera, who is considered among the favorites in a race that includes incumbent Rep. Mondaire Jones (D) and former Rep. Liz Holtzman (D), has already been endorsed by two top New York City Hispanic politicians, Democratic Reps. Adriano Espaillat and Nydia Velázquez, points out The Hill.

The Hill presented data from a recent Data for Progress poll of voters in the 10th district primaries that found Rivera in the lead with 17% of the voter nomination, ahead of Representative Yuh-Line Niou with 14%. 

In July, according to City & State, the “Working Families Party” conducted a poll of likely voters in the Democratic primaries, whose result was a tie between the two candidates with 16% of the vote intention for each. Daniel Goldman came in third with 10%, Representative Mondaire Jones had 8%, and Representative Jo Anne Simon, 6%. Former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio was in seventh place, with 3%, and has already declared withdrawal. Despite the plurality of voters involved in the survey, 40% responded that they were undecided.

“The wide field has turned the race into a slugfest of endorsements, with Democratic groups and elected officials spreading support across the array of candidates. In backing Rivera, Latino Victory joins Espaillat and Velázquez, as well as a half-dozen labor groups and environmental, LGBT rights, Latino and animal welfare organizations. Rivera’s signature projects have centered around homelessness and climate resiliency infrastructure, an issue that her debate opponents tried to turn against her” as noted by The Hill.

Nathalie Rayes, Latino Victory Fund President & CEO declared: […] “This newly drawn congressional seat presents a prime opportunity to increase Latino representation in Congress and strengthen the Latina delegation in the U.S. House, which remains severely underrepresented. Latino Victory is thrilled to give our full support to Carlina Rivera in her bid for the 10th Congressional District. We look forward to seeing her get elected and fulfill her commitment to improving her community as a member of Congress.”