Charles Rangel, who has represented an upper Manhattan district that includes Harlem for 44 years, faces off against three opponents in the New York Democratic primary Tuesday. The most serious challenge comes from the Dominican-American, state senator Adriano Espaillat.
Rangel was first elected in 1970, defeating the legendary Adam Clayton Powell Jr. — the first African American elected to Congress from New York.
Rangel has held the seat ever since, rising to power in Washington and at one time serving as head of the powerful Ways and Means Committee in the House of Representatives.
This weekend, at a campaign stop outside a hamburger joint called the Harlem Shake, supporters for Rep. Charles Rangel filled the sidewalk along Lenox Avenue — a busy street that runs through the heart of central Harlem.
Rangel was once called the "Lion of Lenox Avenue," but now, some think he is too old for another term. Still, in his stump speech at the rally, he focused on his track record of 22 straight election wins.
"If you had a good old horse that kept winning the races, why in the world would you want to bring in a colt that doesn't even know where the track is," Rangel said.
What he failed to mention is that his record also reflects recent ethics violations, which have contributed to his diminished influence.
His odds at the ballot box have not been helped by changes in district borders and demographics. Once a black stronghold, the 13th congressional district is now majority Latino.
Those shifts seem to favor Rangel's challenger Adriano Espaillat, a longtime state senator. The 59-year-old is a Dominican American who lost to Rangel two years ago by just 1,100 votes.
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