The Bronx County Conservative Party, commonly referred to as the Bronx Conservative Party, is the official borough affiliate of the New York State Conservative Party representing the borough of the Bronx in New York City, New York. Established in 1962, the party has historically operated as a minor political organization within the predominantly Democratic borough, endorsing candidates and occasionally fielding its own nominees for local, state, and federal offices.[1]
The Bronx Conservative Party became active in 1962, following the establishment of the New York State Conservative Party earlier that same year.[2] The party was formed by conservatives who were dissatisfied with the perceived influence of the Liberal Party on both the Democratic and Republican parties in New York State.[3]
Leadership
The Bronx Conservative Party maintains a small executive committee, including a chairman, vice chairman, recording secretary, and district leaders corresponding to each New York State Assembly seat.[4]
As of 2023, Patrick McManus serves as Chairman and Gonzalo Duran as Vice Chairman.[5]
Political activity
Party activity prior to 2023
The Bronx Conservative Party became active in 1962, shortly after the founding of the New York State Conservative Party.
Through the 1970s–1990s, the Bronx Conservative Party played a minor but visible role in borough politics, at times endorsing candidates who were rejected by major parties.[6] The party’s electoral presence was intermittent, with limited ballot access and occasional cross-endorsements.[7][8]
By the 2000s and 2010s, activity slowed considerably.[9] While the party occasionally endorsed congressional challengers or local candidates, membership and public visibility declined.[10] This period of reduced operations set the stage for the organization’s revival in 2023.[11]
Klapper candidacy controversy
In the 2010 New York State Senate elections, the Bronx Conservative Party nominated Raphael M. Klapper, an ophthalmologist from Riverdale, as its candidate in the 31st District. Klapper, however, had died months earlier of pancreatic cancer. Despite his death, the petition process advanced, and his name remained on the ballot.
Klapper received 828 votes—about two percent of the total—without campaigning. Adriano Espaillat, the Democratic candidate, ultimately won the seat with nearly 40,000 votes. The episode drew scrutiny from the Board of Elections and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, with questions raised about how the signatures had been gathered and why the nomination was allowed to proceed. Conservative Party officials later described the incident as a “fluke,” while Klapper’s family expressed frustration that he had been listed as a candidate without his knowledge or consent.[12]
Recent developments
The party experienced a period of minimal activity prior to 2023.[13][14][15] During the 2023 election cycle, the Bronx Conservative Party demonstrated renewed activity, marked by an increase in candidate submissions and expanded community engagement.[16][17][18]
For the 2024 election cycle, the party successfully submitted multiple candidates for elected office.[19][20][21]
In 2025, the party endorsed candidates for Bronx and citywide legislative seats and organized community events related to its platform.[22][23][24]
Association with President Donald J. Trump
In the 2024 presidential election cycle, the Bronx Conservative Party endorsed Donald J. Trump.[25] When Trump held a rally in Crotona Park, none of the Bronx Republican or Conservative candidates were invited to speak or mentioned on stage.[26] Despite this, the Bronx Conservative Party publicly welcomed Trump’s visit and later credited his appearances with energizing local enrollment and visibility.[27]
International media have also sought the party’s perspective on Trump’s policies in New York City. For example, Italian outlet La7 requested comments from the Bronx Conservative Party, with Vice Chairman Gonzalo Duran serving as spokesperson.[28]
During the 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in New York, Gonzalo Duran, who was endorsed by the Bronx Conservative Party and the Bronx Republican Party, ran in New York's 15th congressional district against incumbent Democratic representative Ritchie Torres.[30]
In the New York State Senate race for the 33rd district, Dion Powell ran against incumbent Democratic state senator Gustavo Rivera.[31]
In the New York State Assembly race for the 81st district, Kevin Pazmino challenged incumbent assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz.[32]
2025 election
On November 25, 2024, Gonzalo Duran announced his candidacy for Mayor of New York City during a Bronx Conservative Party meeting.[33] He later withdrew from the mayoral race and declared his candidacy for New York City Public Advocate, challenging incumbent Jumaane Williams.[34] Following this announcement, Duran received endorsements from the Conservative Party of New York State and the New York Republican Party.[35][36][37]
Irene Estrada, a longtime Democrat, received the Bronx Conservative Party’s nomination for mayor of New York City and subsequently secured the nomination of the state Conservative Party.[38][39]
Elected officials
As of 2026, the Bronx Conservative Party does not hold any elected offices in the United States House of Representatives, New York State Senate, New York State executive offices, New York Citywide offices or New York City Council.
Kristy Marmorato, who was endorsed by both the Bronx Conservative Party and the Bronx Republican Party, won the New York City Council seat for the 13th District in 2023 and served from 2024 to 2026.[40][41]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
