The scene at I.S. 117 in Mount Hope

Mount Hope Monitor photographer Alma Watkins says there's lengthy lines inside I.S. 117 Joseph Wade this morning. She spoke to a number of voters as they entered the Morris Avenue school to find out what's driving their decision.

I came from Costa Rica 40 years ago and have always heard rascally remarks about how the white man keeps the black man down. Now we see with our own eyes that a black man is a candidate for president of the United States. That’s why I’m voting for Obama. - RALPH BLESSITT


We've had enough with white presidents - it is time for a change. He [Obama] ran a good campaign and is a better speaker then McCain or Bush. Bush just never connected with the American people. We need a president that can communicate with the people.- JD MORRISON

I’ve been a Democrat all my life. I wanted Hillary for president but I picked Obama. He's better then the other guy.
- SANTA MERCADO

Other thoughts:

Obama for change, get Bush out, get the money back to the people. - ANDREW LAIOSA

I'm voting for Obama as he will help minorities and has a good health plan for the elderly. - CYNTHIA SCOTT

Obama has better ideals, and stands firm on his feet. He will make a good leader, a strong leader. - ISRAEL ROBLES

It was taking voters about an hour to get in and out of the building, Alma said. She says she's "still working on finding a McCain fan."

Bronx Political Talk on Super Tuesday Eve

Super Tuesday polls open in less than 24 hours and journalism students from CUNY, including Annie Shreffler and Joshua Cinelli (regular contributors to the Norwood News), are blogging about it for the Huffington Post.

Find out what people around the Bronx and the rest of the city are saying about the issues and the candidates.

On the West Bronx Campaign Trail

Here's a couple of shots from local political activist Haile Rivera, who passed out Barack Obama literature at the West Kingsbridge-area Target on Saturday morning (above) and then attended an Obama rally at City Hall on Sunday (below).

By the way, Rivera has political aspirations of his own. He's running for Maria Baez's City Council seat (District 14) , which is up for grabs in 2009.


The West Bronx News Network will be following the local campaign action leading up to the presidential primary on Feb. 5. On so-called Super Tuesday, New York and 23 other states will be voting to choose party nominees.

Note: We encourage everyone to send us their presidential primary campaign photos and/or information so we can post it on this site.