Baseball and politics are the two subjects Dominicans are most passionate about. And they now have more cause to celebrate in both fields, with the Yankees' triumph in the World Series–where several Dominicans played important roles–coming on top of the victories of several of their co-nationals in the local political arena.

This past Tuesday, Ydanis Rodríguez, a 44-year-old Dominican born in Santiago, won a seat in the New York City Council for District 10; yesterday, he expressed his pride at being able to represent his community.

"I am ready to assume the responsibility of this office with dignity, honesty and transparency," declared the veteran Washington Heights activist, who immigrated to New York when he was 18 years old.

Rodríguez indicated that his origins were in the countryside "where I was brought up according to my family's Catholic values" and where he began the organizing work he would continue later in the city of skyscrapers, from the time he arrived in June of 1983.

"I am a Dominican, a member of the Hispanic community that includes Mexicans, Ecuadorians, Colombians, Peruvians and Puerto Ricans," said Rodríguez. "But we need to turn our numbers into the kind of power that reflects that [diversity]," he added, speaking of Latino representation in the city.

Rodríguez indicated that he is hoping to work alongside other council members to make sure that resources are allocated to Latino districts in the same way they are to other communities.

In another race, Fernando Cabrera won the Democratic primary in September over the well-known Councilmember María Báez, and strengthened his hand in the Tuesday vote by winning his City Council District 14 with 87.1 percent of the vote.

Cabrera defines himself as a "Domi-rican" born in the Bronx (in 1964), and wears his dual Dominican and Puerto Rican ancestry "one hundred percent" proudly. "I fee very honored, because I am the first City Council member from the Bronx with Dominican heritage, but I am here to represent all groups," Cabrera told us.

"I am excited about the future of this city, and I think the mayor will have to take a closer look at the communities that have so many hopes and expectations and dreams," added the new council member, who has already spent time working on community boards.

These two Dominicans join two other representatives: Diana Reyna, Democratic council member since 2001, from Brooklyn's District 34; and Julissa Ferreras, Democratic council member from District 21 in Queens, who was re-elected to the seat she won last year.

Reyna–born and raised in Williamsburg–was the first woman of Dominican heritage to be elected to office in New York, and has focused her work on the needs of families with low and moderate incomes. Her greatest pride is in having dedicated herself to "conserving and creating quality jobs in the community" and "raising funds for economic development and assistance to local businesses."

For her part, Ferreras grew up in Jackson Heights; her parents Josephine and Julio Ferreras emigrated from the Dominican Republic 35 years ago. "As a proud Dominican American, Julissa is a member of the board of the National Dominican Roundtable and has served on the board of the National Dominican Wheelchair Foundation," according to the council member's curriculum vitae.

And of course, these politicians celebrated their triumphs to the rhythms of another Dominican great passion, el merengue.