Independence Party candidate and female Democratic District Leader Shirley Patterson today rolled out a list of heavy-hitting endorsements, including Borough President Eric Adams, and showed every indication she’s in it to win it in the competitive and wide open 43rd Assembly District race.
The seat for the district covering Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens and parts of Flatbush opened up after former Assembly member Karim Camara, a minster, stepped down to join the Cuomo Administration in a faith-based initiative.
Joining Adams in endorsing Patterson is State Senators Jesse Hamilton and Velmanette Montgomery, and East Flatbush/Canarsie Assembly member Nick Perry. Both Adams and Hamilton wanted Patterson on the Democratic line before political gadfly Guillermo Philpotts gummed up the works leaving the Party without a candidate on the ballot for the May 5 special election.
“I am running to represent the 43rd District of the New York State Assembly because Albany needs a public servant that will put the people first,” said Patterson, a lifelong resident, mother and grandmother of Crown Heights. “We stand at a pivotal moment in our community. New York State is making critical decisions that will have repercussions in our neighborhood for years to come. Working together as a community, we can ensure that these policy decisions reflect our values.”
Patterson’s endorsements is a strategic blow to Working Families Party candidate Diana Richardson, who lost in 2013 to Patterson for the female district leadership.
Richardson has the support of several unions and several important West Indian lawmakers including former City Councilwoman Una Clarke and her daughter, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte, but is should be noted that Perry is also a respected West Indian lawmaker.
Assuming Patterson and Richardson split the women’s vote this will likely benefit Geoffrey Davis, running on his newly created Love Yourself Party line. According to a Davis Facebook post he turned in over 4,000 names to the Board of Elections on his nominating petitions.
Also in the race is Republican and Conservative Party candidate Menachem Raitport.
