Rubén Díaz Sr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rubén Díaz
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| Member of the New York City Council from the 18th district |
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| In office January 1, 2018 – December 31, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Annabel Palma |
| Succeeded by | Amanda Farías |
| In office January 1, 2002 – January 1, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Lucy Cruz |
| Succeeded by | Pedro Espada Jr. |
| Member of the New York Senate from the 32nd district |
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| In office January 1, 2003 – December 31, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Pedro Espada Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Luis Sepúlveda |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 22, 1943 Bayamón, Puerto Rico |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | Rubén Díaz Jr. |
| Education | Lehman College (BA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1960–1963 |
Rubén Díaz Sr (born April 22, 1943) is a politician from Puerto Rico and New York City. He is also a Pentecostal minister. He was a member of the Democratic Party.
Mr. Díaz represented the 18th district in the New York City Council from 2018 to 2021. Before that, he served in the New York State Senate. He represented the 32nd district from 2003 to 2017. This district included parts of the Bronx neighborhoods like Castle Hill and Parkchester.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Rubén Díaz Sr. was born and grew up in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. He joined the United States Army in 1960. He served for three years and then left the Army. In 1965, he moved to New York City.
He became an evangelical Christian in 1966. Later, in 1976, he earned a bachelor's degree from Lehman College.
Political Career
Early Public Service
In 1977, Mr. Díaz started a senior center called Christian Community in Action. He became an ordained minister of the Church of God in 1978. This church is known for being evangelical and pentecostal. He also founded the Christian Community Neighborhood Church.
Mr. Díaz was appointed to the New York City's Civilian Complaint Review Board in 1993. This board reviews complaints about police behavior.
New York State Senate
In 2002, Rubén Díaz Sr. was elected to the New York State Senate. He served as a State Senator from 2003 to 2017. His district covered several areas in the Bronx.
In 2008, Mr. Díaz was part of a group of three Democratic Senators. They were sometimes called the "Gang of Three." They tried to use their influence to get certain positions in the Senate. They also wanted to make sure the Senate would not vote on certain issues. Eventually, they reached an agreement and recognized Malcolm Smith as the Senate Majority Leader.
In 2010, Mr. Díaz ran for re-election in the Democratic primary. He won the primary election with a large number of votes.
New York City Council
Rubén Díaz Sr. was first elected to the New York City Council in 2001. He then moved to the State Senate the next year.
In 2017, he won the Democratic primary for the 18th district of the New York City Council. He was elected to the City Council in November 2017.
In July 2020, Mr. Díaz announced that he would not run for re-election in 2021. Amanda Farías took his place in the City Council.
2020 U.S. House of Representatives Election
In April 2019, Mr. Díaz decided to run for the United States House of Representatives. He ran in New York's 15th congressional district. On June 23, 2020, he lost the Democratic primary election. He finished third among 12 candidates. Ritchie Torres won that primary.
Political Views
Rubén Díaz Sr. is known for his conservative political views. He has often spoken about his beliefs on various social topics.
He has also expressed his views on certain social issues. For example, he has been a strong voice against some policies related to family and social values.
In 2003, Mr. Díaz filed a lawsuit about the expansion of the Harvey Milk School. The lawsuit was settled in 2006. The school agreed to be open to all students and not to discriminate.
In 2007, he opposed a bill that would have allowed certain types of marriage. He continued to oppose similar legislation in 2008. In May 2009, he led a rally in front of Governor David Paterson's office. Many people attended this rally.
In 2011, Mr. Díaz again voted against a bill about marriage. However, this time the bill passed the Senate. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed it into law.
In 2017, Mr. Díaz voted against the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA). This bill was about transgender rights. He had also voted against it in 2010.
Donald Trump
Mr. Díaz supported Donald Trump in the 2024 United States presidential election.
Personal Life
Rubén Díaz Sr. and his first wife, Didionilda Díaz (Vega), have three children. One of their sons, Rubén Díaz Jr., is also a politician. He was elected Borough President of the Bronx in April 2009. As of 2015, Mr. Díaz is married to Leslie Díaz.
See also
- 2009 New York State Senate leadership crisis
- LGBT rights opposition
- Paterson, David "Black, Blind, & In Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity."Skyhorse Publishing. New York, New York, 2020
