Big political ambitions and a boundless love for one’s hometown are the perfect combination for a person in power. Rafael Salamanca is a prime example of such a politician. He’s been a member of the City Council for eight years, and during that time, he’s implemented many positive and progressive changes in the borough. Now, he’s ready to take the next step in his career and run for the office of Borough President. In this article on bronx-yes, we’ll talk about the achievements of this experienced City Council member and the plans of a potential future president.
The Path to Major Politics
Rafael Salamanca was born to Puerto Rican immigrant parents. His father worked hard at the Hunts Point Market docks, and his mother was an administrator at a medical facility. Later, as a politician, Rafael Salamanca paid special attention to bringing order and improving the Hunts Point neighborhood because he knew from his father that there were many unresolved problems there.
Rafael couldn’t afford to get a prestigious, high-quality education because his family lived a modest life. But even with a simple associate degree from Monroe College, Salamanca proved that anything is possible if you truly want it and are willing to work hard.
His mother helped him get his first job as an administrative assistant at a medical supply company. Salamanca proved himself and quickly rose from assistant to district manager in just a few years. Soon, Rafael felt drawn to the public sector and wanted to grow in it. The clever and determined Salamanca quickly became the head of Community Board 41. Rafael always stood out for his strong moral and ethical principles, and he was genuinely concerned that his home borough, the Bronx, had a bad reputation and was associated with crime and poverty. So Salamanca focused all his efforts on increasing safety and improving living conditions for Bronx residents. He actively collaborated with the NYPD, and during his time, the crime situation saw real positive changes.
In 2016, Salamanca realized that to continue helping, he needed more authority and opportunities. So he ran for a seat on the Bronx City Council. And once again, he succeeded; Rafael Salamanca became the representative for New York City Council’s 17th district, representing the South Bronx and serving as the Chair of the Committee on Land Use.
Read about how the South Bronx developed in the 19th and 20th centuries in this article.
The First Attempt to Become Borough President
His four years on the City Council flew by. He had accomplished a lot, but there were still many major projects to complete. But the thought of becoming the Bronx Borough President was very tempting for Rafael Salamanca. It was another step forward, more authority and power, and more opportunities and bigger goals. But Salamanca also couldn’t bring himself to leave the South Bronx without being sure that someone would continue his work.
Nevertheless, in 2021, he ran for Bronx Borough President. But the further he went, the more Rafael felt like he couldn’t just walk away. He said at the time:
“You know, I still have a lot of work to do. A lot was happening in my district, and I felt like it was incomplete. You know, there were projects that are historic for me, and there were also projects that were too special for me to just abandon. We were also going through COVID, and I saw my people suffering from a lack of food security, a lack of information about the new terrible disease, and my people were dying—my dad was one of them at the time. I just felt like it was the right thing for me to step back and return to my seat. I was needed more there.”
So Rafael Salamanca withdrew from the race and ran for a second term on the City Council, even though he had every chance of winning the presidential election at the time.
Managerial Experience and Team Support
Salamanca once again immersed himself in the problems of the South Bronx and worked tirelessly with one goal: to make his neighborhood better than it was yesterday, every single day.
Rafael Salamanca has always fought for affordable housing. In his eight years in office, he has approved over 10,000 units of new housing for vulnerable populations and brought over $400 million in capital investments to the South Bronx’s budget.
In the latest budget, he allocated $21.5 million for improving local parks and schools, affordable housing, a new public health clinic, and modernizing technology for the Bronx community boards.
Salamanca has always put people first: how to make their lives better. His main focus is on children. At his old school, Rafael recently completed a major renovation—the schoolyard, classrooms, and cafeteria were all upgraded, and air conditioners and other equipment were purchased to improve learning conditions. Access to quality education for all children without exception and creating jobs are Salamanca’s top priorities on the City Council.
Bronx residents genuinely trust Rafael because they see his sincere desire to help everyone. That’s why he’s never had trouble raising funds for his campaigns.
“I’ve had several elections because I ran in a special election, then eight months later there was another election, and then a year later, another primary election, and then four years later, I had another primary, and then in 2023, another one… So for me, fundraising has been nonstop. But my work speaks for itself. I have people in different fields who support me: whether it’s education, whether it’s the Hunts Point markets, whether it’s real estate, whether it’s janitors, whether it’s the secretary from the school. There are a lot of people who saw my development from district manager to City Council member, and they want to support this campaign,” says Rafael Salamanca.
Challenging the Current Bronx President
Salamanca is now challenging the current Bronx Borough President, Vanessa Gibson. She was the first black person to hold the office and the first woman.
Rafael hesitated before entering the race this time, too. His candidacy was expected, but Salamanca delayed announcing his final decision. In February and May 2024 interviews with the Bronx Times, he didn’t give a direct answer about running for president, while Vanessa Gibson had announced her intention to run for a second term at the beginning of the year.
But Rafael Salamanca finally took the leap. If elected president, Salamanca will have less actual legislative power, but he can use his given authority and his many years of experience in politics to unite the leaders of all the districts and build a single, progressive strategy for the Bronx’s development.
In an interview with City & State magazine, Salamanca said that, unlike several of his left-wing City Council colleagues, he doesn’t see a reason at this time to call for the mayor’s resignation over the numerous federal corruption investigations.
If he wins, Rafael will pass his current seat on to Freddy Perez.
A Bet on Winning
As a former head of a community board—the lowest level of government—Rafael Salamanca has experience or connections in almost every layer of government in the Bronx. So he knows how everything works and how to make sure he’s heard on all “floors” of government.
Rafael hopes this experience will serve him well as president. He plans to become a strong link connecting the government and the residents of the Bronx. Salamanca knows all the people’s pains, problems, and desires. He knows how to convey all of this to city agencies and will have levers of influence over every official and control over legislation and the budget.
In his platform, Rafael Salamanca focuses on the main issue in the Bronx: affordable housing. He openly criticizes the current administration for spending a fortune on countless homeless shelters. Salamanca believes there’s a different way to solve this problem. He says you shouldn’t just give people a roof over their heads; you should give them their own homes and the ability to work and support themselves. He’s a proponent of the idea that you shouldn’t feed a man a fish—you should just give him a fishing rod. Then he’ll take responsibility for his own life and change it for the better.
While Salamanca didn’t directly mention Vanessa Gibson in his campaign speeches, he said her administration lacks a comprehensive plan to solve the borough’s major problems and to cultivate a new generation of leaders.
So, we’ll see how this political battle ends and whether Rafael Salamanca can win over all voters, not just the residents of the South Bronx.
Read the story of a prominent New York mayor from the Bronx here.