The New Kings Democrats (NKD), one of the borough’s most progressive Democratic Party political clubs, and a launching pad for Bill de Blasio’s successful campaign for mayor, held their annual holiday party last week at Tutu’s on the Bushwick and Williamsburg border.
Among the notables from the club are Lincoln Restler, who is very close to de Blasio and works in his administration, and progressive City Council Member Anthony Reynoso.
The New Kings Democrats, which has about 100 members, was founded on two goals – to reinvigorate the county committee and to be the main thorn in (former Kings County Democratic Party Chair) Vito Lopez’s side,” said Nick Rizzo, one of the club’s founders and the newly elected 50th Assembly Democratic district leader.
Rizzo said he believes the term progressive means expanding the rights of all people and to move social issues forward for groups of people previously marginalized.
Fellow NKD member Massimo Salerno said progressive politically to him means understanding change is inevitable and to manage that change versus conservatives who want to stop that change.
“Progressives want to work with the forces of change and move along with it and direct it,” he said, adding that in the past he’s also worked with the Rosa Parks Democratic Club, which is home to Senate-elect Jesse Hamilton.
Also on hand at the holiday part was 52nd Assembly Democratic District leader Josh Skaller, who belongs to the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats club, but also netwoks with NKD, the Independent Neighborhood Democrats and LAMDA – all considered among the most progressive of the Democratic political clubs in Brooklyn. .
“At the end of the day you really have to connect in Brooklyn politics with things that are going on in the neighborhood and historically clubs have been a really important outlet to make these connections,” said Skaller. “It’s really important to have a neighborhood presence during election campaigns and supporting those people that have been supporting these clubs in a meaningful way.”
