Mark Gjonaj
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Mark Gjonaj
| image = Mark Gjonaj.png
| imagesize = 225
| caption =
| office = Member of the New York City Council
from the 13th district
| term_start = January 1, 2018
| term_end = December 31, 2021
| predecessor = James Vacca
| successor = Marjorie Velázquez
| state_assembly1 = New York
| district1 = 80th
| term_start1 = January 1, 2013
| term_end1 = December 31, 2017
| predecessor1 = Naomi Rivera
| successor1 = Nathalia Fernandez
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1968}}
| birth_place = The Bronx, New York, U.S.
| education = St. John's University (BA)
| party = Democratic
| children = 2
}}
Mark Gjonaj ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|oʊ|n|aɪ}} {{respell|JOH|nye}}; born December 1968){{Cite web|title=Mark Gjonaj|url=http://albaniansuccessstories.com/613/|access-date=2021-10-18|website=albaniansuccessstories.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/12/nyregion/local-issues-dominate-new-york-city-council-elections.html|title=Local Issues Dominate New York City Council Elections|first=J. David|last=Goodman|date=12 September 2017|publisher=|accessdate=6 February 2018|via=NYTimes.com}} is an American politician who served in the New York City Council from the 13th district from 2018 to 2021. He previously represented the 80th district of the New York State Assembly from 2013 to 2017. His district encompasses Morris Park, Pelham Parkway, Pelham Gardens, and Norwood, among other communities of the Bronx.
Early life and education
Gjonaj was born in the Bronx to an Albanian family from Reč, Montenegro. He attended St. Raymond High School for Boys and graduated from St. John's University with a Bachelor of Arts degree.{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/realtor-albanian-american-elected-bronx-incumbent-experience-party-support-article-1.1065095|title=Albanian-American realtor challenges incumbent Bronx Assemblywoman|website=New York Daily News |date=23 April 2012 |publisher=|accessdate=5 June 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.citizensunion.org/resources/individual-races-2012/assembly-district-80---democratic-primary |title=Citizens Union - Assembly District 80 - Democratic Primary |accessdate=2015-07-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080654/http://www.citizensunion.org/resources/individual-races-2012/assembly-district-80---democratic-primary |archivedate=2016-03-04 }}
Career
Gjonaj is the president of M P Realty Group Corp., a real estate brokerage firm that he founded in 1999. His political experience prior to election was as a member of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission.
=New York State Assembly=
Gjonaj defeated incumbent assemblywoman Naomi Rivera in the 2012 Democratic primary race. On November 6, 2012, he won the general election with 79% of the vote.{{cite news|url=http://www.norwoodnews.org/id=9637&story=no-surprises-in-local-election-results-as-democrats-sweep-the-bronx/|title=No Surprises in Local Election Results as Democrats Sweep the Bronx|last=Kratz|first=Alex|date=November 7, 2012|work=Norwood News|accessdate=11 November 2012}}
=New York City Council=
In 2017, Gjonaj entered the race to represent the 13th District of the New York City Council, to replace Councilman James Vacca, who had to step down due to term limits.{{cite web|work=Gotham Gazette|url=http://www.gothamgazette.com/city/6676-candidates-for-2017-city-elections-mayor-city-council-comptroller|title=Candidates for 2017 City Elections|author=Ben Max|date=May 1, 2017}} Gjonaj won the five-way primary with 39% of the vote.
On November 8, 2017, Gjonaj won his bid to replace New York City Councilman James Vacca, defeating the Republican candidate John Cerini by a margin of 49% to 36%.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/new-york-general-elections|title=Election Results: De Blasio Wins Second Term as New York City Mayor|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-11-08|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}
In 2020, in response to the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing recession, Gjonaj introduced a bill to cap fees charged by delivery applications (e.g. Grubhub).{{Cite news|date=2020-05-13|title=New York City caps fees for food delivery apps|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52651931|access-date=2020-05-20}}
Controversies
In 2017, Gjonaj confirmed that he had used over $17,000 of donor funds to sue New York City for siting homeless shelters and mental health facilities in the Bronx.
{{Cite news|date=2018-10-26|title=Council Member Uses Campaign Funds to Sue City Raising Questions|work=Gotham Gazette|url=https://www.gothamgazette.com/city/8018-council-member-uses-campaign-funds-to-sue-city-raising-questions|access-date=2020-09-30}}
In August 2018, Gjonaj was filmed chanting "shame" at Alessandra Biaggi, who was running in a primary against incumbent State Senator Jeffrey D. Klein. Gjonaj's chief of staff said that he was angry at Biaggi's support for bike infrastructure.{{Cite news|date=2018-08-31|title=Video Shows Angry Bronx Councilman Chanting 'Shame!' At Candidate Who Supports Bike Lanes|work=Gothamist|url=https://gothamist.com/news/video-shows-angry-bronx-councilman-chanting-shame-at-candidate-who-supports-bike-lanes|access-date=2020-09-30}} Biaggi won the primary.
Election history
| class="wikitable collapsible" | ||
| valign=bottom
! colspan=6 | Election History | ||
| valign=bottom
! rowspan=2 | Location ! rowspan=2 | Year ! rowspan=2 | Election Type ! colspan="3" | Results | ||
| valign=bottom
! Candidate ! Votes ! Percent | ||
| rowspan=5 | NYS Assembly District 80 | rowspan=5 | 2012 | rowspan=5 {{party shading/hold}}|General | √ Mark Gjonaj (D) || 22,386 || 77.76% | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nicole J. Torres (R) | 2,600 | 7.92% |
| Naomi Rivera (WFP) | 2,186 | 6.66% |
| Patrick A. McManus (Cons) | 861 | 2.62% |
| William Edstrom (Green) | 274 | 0.83% |
| rowspan=2 | NYS Assembly District 80 | rowspan=2 | 2014 | rowspan=2 {{party shading/hold}}|General | √ Mark Gjonaj (D) || 9,816 || 77.76% | ||
| Robert Goodman (R/Cons) | 1,892 | 14.99% |
| rowspan=3 | NYS Assembly District 80 | rowspan=3 | 2016 | rowspan=3 {{party shading/hold}}|General | √ Mark Gjonaj (D) || 24,959 || 70.50% | ||
| Nicholas Marricco (R) | 3,391 | 9.58% |
| Robert Goodman (Cons) | 953 | 2.69% |
| rowspan=3 | NYC Council District 13 | rowspan=3 | 2017 | rowspan=3 {{party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic Primary | √ Mark Gjonaj || 3,503 || 38.46% | ||
| Marjorie Velázquez | 3,113 | 34.14% |
| John C. Doyle | 1,728 | 18.97% |
| rowspan=3 | NYC Council District 13 | rowspan=3 | 2017 | rowspan=3 {{party shading/hold}}|General | √ Mark Gjonaj (D) || 10,602 || 48.62% | ||
| John Cerini (R/Cons/Reform) | 7,791 | 35.73% |
| Marjorie Velázquez (WFP) | 2,829 | 12.97% |
References
{{reflist}}
{{S-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=James Vacca}}
{{s-ttl|title=New York City Council, 13th district|years=2018–2021}}
{{s-aft|after=Marjorie Velázquez}}
{{s-bef|before=Naomi Rivera}}
{{s-ttl|title=New York Assembly, 80th District|years=2013-2017}}
{{s-aft|after=Nathalia Fernandez}}
{{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gjonaj, Mark}}
Category:Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly
Category:New York City Council members
Category:American people of Albanian descent
Category:St. John's University (New York City) alumni
Category:American people of Montenegrin descent
Category:Politicians from the Bronx
Category:21st-century members of the New York State Legislature
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