With the slogan "The Bronx is not for sale," this borough's Democratic machine, headed by Assemblyman Carl Heastie, Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr., and State Senator Rubén Díaz, demonstrated its incredible political power at the polls when multi-millionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg lost the "Borough of Salsa" by 37 percent to 61 percent.

In the 83rd Assembly District, which Heastie represents and which includes the neighborhoods of Olinville and Eastchester, Thompson won 74 percent of the votes, 9,107 out of 12,316, with Bloomberg winning just 2,996.

In the 85th Assembly District, which Rubén Díaz Jr. represented until this year before becoming Bronx Borough President, Thompson also won by 72 percent. In this neighborhood that includes the Bronx River and Hunts Point, Thompson won 7,676 out of 10,700 votes, leaving Bloomberg with 2,905.

The same thing happened in Districts 76, 79, 84, and 86, where Thompson won three times or twice the votes that Mayor Bloomberg won.

In the eyes of State Senator Rubén Díaz, who has a growing influence in the Bronx, the borough sent a clear message to Bloomberg: "The Bronx is not for sale." Díaz said that as part of the mobilization of the borough's voters, the Democratic Party distributed campaign materials in the neighborhoods, including posters for Thompson and broadcasted recorded messages with the voices of Rubén Díaz and Rubén Díaz Jr. over loudspeakers.

The Democratic machine demonstrated its power when little-known Fernando Cabrera, with the support of Rubén Díaz and Rubén Díaz Jr., defeated City Councilwoman María Báez in the September primaries. Báez had occupied the post for eight years.

Political analyst Angelo Falcón, president of the National Institute for Latino Policy, believes that the presence of Rubén Díaz and Rubén Díaz Jr. was crucial. The older Díaz, a minister and state senator, "mobilized the evangelicals," said Falcón.

Not withstanding, the analyst said things such as the loyalty of Latinos and African Americans to the Democratic Party also influenced the outcome.

"Another factor is the poverty level in the South Bronx, and the growing idea that Bloomberg is the mayor of the rich," he added.

For Heastie, chair of the Bronx Democratic Party, Thompson's overwhelming victory in the Bronx can be attributed to the efforts of elected officials and organizations in the borough.

"We knew that we could not compete against Bloomberg and his money, so we carried out a grassroots campaign in the community. We recruited hundreds of volunteers who made telephone calls, knocked on doors, distributed fliers. It was an aggressive campaign and these are the results," said Heastie.

According to the 2000 Census, 48 percent of the Bronx's 1.3 million residents were Hispanic, while 31 percent were African-American and 14 percent white.

The ability to mobilize voters in this election was a key determinant, as demonstrated by the low voter turnout. Only 25 percent of voters cast their ballot on Tuesday.