In two special elections on Tuesday, May 5, 1199SEIU members once again proved their ability to flex their political muscles and get results. In Brooklyn, energized delegates, political activists and member volunteers helped Diana Richardson across the finish line and into the seat representing Assembly District 43. Members also supported with yeoman’s effort Vinnie Gentile’s unsuccessful bid to replace disgraced former Congressman Michael Grimm in Congressional District 11, which covers all of Staten Island and parts of south Brooklyn.

In the 4-way race for NYS Assembly, community activist Diana Richardson, a former healthcare worker, handily defeated her opponents. The sizable swath of the central Brooklyn district includes the neighborhoods of Crown Heights, Flatbush, Lefferts Gardens and Prospect Gardens. Richardson knows her community; she was born and raised in Crown Heights and is raising her son Isaac in the neighborhood.

Marva Baker, a unit clerk at Brooklyn Hospital, campaigned for Richardson on Election Day and during the weekend leading up to it. “I really support her. She understands us. People are suffering. The cost of living is going up. Transit fares are going up and people are making minimum wage. People can’t continue to live like this. We need to elect people who understand the problem. Diana understands,” says Baker.

In the weeks leading up to Election Day, members fanned out across the district, going door-to door, talking to their union brothers and sisters about the importance of voting and making sure people got to the polls. Richardson fills the seat vacated by Karim Camara, who stepped down to join the Governor’s office.

“I’m a new delegate and I wanted to know what our political action program was all about,” says Liz Henry, a housekeeping worker at Kingsbrook Jewish Hospital in Brooklyn. “But I also really want to make things better in our community and I know that Diana can do that. She’ll be there. When we go to the doors people are really concerned about housing. Rents are really high and the conditions they live in are terrible in some of these buildings. People need changes and Diana will be a voice for us in Albany.”

1199SEIU retiree Raimundo Valdes worked on the Special Election for Congress on Staten Island. “We knew this one was an uphill battle and still there was a lot of terrific 1199 energy on this campaign. Vinnie Gentile was a great candidate, a former NYS Senator and NYC Councilman with 18 years’ experience. We will be back to Staten Island for the General Election next year.”