Every now and then, a powerful elected official makes an unforced error that threatens their otherwise favorable path to reelection.

Rep. Eliot Engel , a 16-term Bronx Democrat and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, fell prey to just such a mistake on Tuesday. A microphone captured him pleading with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. for speaking time at a news conference about local vandalism that emerged out of protests against the Minneapolis police killing last week of George Floyd.

I cannot have all the electeds talk, because otherwise well never get out of here, Diaz can be heard telling Engel before the news conference on a live TV broadcast of News12BX.

If I didnt have a primary, I wouldnt care, Engel replied.

Diaz couldnt hear him. If I didnt have a primary, I wouldnt care, he repeated.

Dont do that to me, Diaz said, shaking his head. Everybody has a primary.

Amid wall-to-wall coverage of the social unrest gripping American cities, the clip of the exchange posted by NY1 reporter Emily Ngo has since gotten more than 1 million views on Twitter.

It is not uncommon for politicians to fight for a speaking slot at a public event. Unfortunately for Engel, his request was caught on camera and, as he noted, he is facing a spirited primary against progressive middle school principal Jamaal Bowman .