Politics & Government

Eliot Engel: Candidate For NY Congressional District 16

Rep. Eliot Engel is running for re-election in the 16th Congressional District.

Rep. Eliot Engel is running for re-election in the 16th Congressional District.
Rep. Eliot Engel is running for re-election in the 16th Congressional District. (Engel for Congress)

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — There are several contested races in this month's primary, including the 16th Congressional District. Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as the primary day draws near.

Rep. Eliot Engel, 73, is running for re-election to represent the 16th Congressional District. His opponents are Chris Fink, Jamaal Bowman and Sammy Ravelo. Andom Ghebreghiorgis pulled out of the race after the ballots were printed.

Engel has been in Congress since 1989. Prior to that he served in the state Assembly for 12 years. He is the chairman on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and also serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee including the Subcommittee on Health.

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A lifelong resident of the Bronx, Engel is married to Pat Engel. They have three children.

The 16th Congressional District includes the northern Bronx and Yonkers, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Mamaroneck, Larchmont, Scarsdale, Eastchester, Bronxville, Tuckahoe, Pelham, Pelham Manor, Rye, Rye City and parts of Ardsley, Hastings-on-Hudson and Edgemont.

Find out what's happening in New Rochellewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Why are you seeking elective office?

To continue to serve the people of the 16th Congressional District — bringing vitally needed resources to our towns and cities as a senior Democratic leader, while fighting for women's reproductive rights, Medicare for All, the Green New Deal and against the worst abuses of the Trump administration.

The single most pressing issue facing our community, and what I intend to do about it.

The catastrophic and corrupt Trump presidency.
The abuses are legion: corruption, allowing foreign adversaries to influence our elections, failing to respond to the tragic pandemic, inciting violence. My vote to impeach Trump was one of the most important votes I've ever taken and I believe we must work together to oppose his dangerous movement and rebuild this country. Trump and GOP attacks on women's reproductive rights, our environment, public healthcare and civil rights for all Americans are a real danger. I've fought tooth and nail against, and I will continue to do so.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?


In my case, it's clearly experience and actually showing up, year after year, for the communities I serve. Because of my experience and position in Democratic leadership, I'm working closely with Speaker Pelosi and my colleagues to bring as many resources back to New York as possible - especially now as we continue to fight this horrible pandemic. I will always do the hard work and I will always fight for you - not just when election season rolls around.


Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Here are two big ones — I'm a founding member of the Medicare for All Caucus, and an original sponsor of the Green New Deal. We must expand public healthcare for all, build on Obamacare, and fund an expansion of Medicare — while protecting a woman's right to choose. And the future of everything we love depends on saving the planet, supporting a strong environmental agenda, and building an economy that works under the Green New Deal.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Well, I'd suggest my more than 30 years serving the people of this district - and my role as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee — are pretty good evidence of my qualifications. But here's one that readers may not know about — I've been named as a “Top Ten Most Effective Democratic Member of Congress” by an independent group. That makes me proud, because it shows that I'm serving our communities well.

The best advice ever shared with me was …

You have a two-year contract with the people — earn their vote, and never take them for granted.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Yes. Trump and his allies are using this pandemic crisis — which they created by their depraved lack of leadership — to attack the reproductive freedom of American women, and I’m committed to fighting them tooth and nail. I fought against Trump when he tried to deny PPP loans to Planned Parenthood affiliates. I have been endorsed by NARAL Pro Choice America, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, ProChoice Voter and the National Organization of Women PAC. I have a 100% Planned Parenthood voting and I received the Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion — Choice Matters first ever “Congressional Defender of Women’s Rights” award and this year they said if they could give me a “150% Pro Choice rating” they would. My opponents don't talk about this issue much, but it's central for me.


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