Trans candidate aims to succeed Ritchie Torres as Bronx councilmember
Elisa Crespo, an out transgender aide to Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., is aiming to take over for term-limited out gay Councilmember Ritchie Torres — and if successful, she would be the first trans city lawmaker and the first LGBTQ woman elected to office in the Bronx.
But Crespo makes it abundantly clear that she wants voters in the district to focus less on her gender identity and more on what she hopes to achieve as a councilmember.
“I don’t want to be seen as running because I’m transgender,” Crespo told Gay City News. “I just so happen to be a transgender person who is running. I’m more than a trans woman: I’m a woman of color, I’m a working class person, and I’ve been through the public school system and public housing.”
Elisa Crespo brings life, work experience, dissatisfaction with district being overlooked to 2021 race
When that Council seat will actually open up remains a question for at least for a few more days. Should Torres emerge victorious in the Democratic primary in the deep blue 15th Congressional District, he would almost certainly coast to victory in the November general election, at which point there would be a special election for his Council seat.
https://www.bxtimes.com/trans-candidate-aims-to-succeed-ritchie-torres-as-bronx-councilmember/