Republican Kristy Marmorato wins Bronx City Council seat, defeating incumbent Democrat Marjorie Velazquez
NEW YORK -- For the first time in two decades, a Republican flipped a blue seat in a New York City Council district in the Bronx.
They're still counting ballots, but Kristy Marmorato has been declared the winner over incumbent Democrat Marjorie Velazquez.
"Well, I think it's about time," Country Club resident Louis Bernardone said.
"We've been neglected by the policies of the Democratic Party," Pelham Bay resident Valentino Reppucci said.
In a historic win, Marmorato managed to flip City Council District 13 to Republican for the first time in 20 years.
Marmorato showed CBS New York the efforts to get her to this victory, saying she knocked on every single door in some parts of the district.
In her first interview being back inside her office after the win, Marmorato told CBS New York's Shosh Bedrosian how she made her case to voters.
"I'm not a politician, that I'm a regular neighborhood person who just felt like that they had to advocate for the community," she said.
Marmorato says she's already been hearing positive feedback from the community.
"They actually believed that their vote counted and that their voice mattered in this race, and that is, emotionally, probably one of the most fulfilling things, that they believed in me as a person," she said.
Voters in District 13 tell us they want to see the new City Council member address the asylum seeker crisis, improve public safety and inflation.
"I'm retired. Twenty-five years ago, I was living very good. Today, I'm just about making it," Bernardone said.
"We do need affordable housing for our seniors, that's first and foremost ... And priority is always going to be public safety. I look forward to contacting both precincts and seeing what I can do to support them in any way," Marmorato said.
The first-time candidate and mom will now be leaving her job as an x-ray technician to fulfill this role.
"We're gonna bring our community back together again," she said.
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