At their State Legislature and Judicial endorsement meeting last week, the Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND) confirmed their support for State Senate Candidate Zellnor Myrie, who won the overwhelming majority of their vote.
The IND gathered at St. Francis College, 189 Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights, to vote on the candidates they’ll endorse for Civil Court, and State Senate and Assembly Districts 20, 21, 25, 26 and 52.
Most of the candidates were running unopposed on their respective ballots; Myrie, running against State Sen. Jesse Hamilton (D-Central Brooklyn) for the 20th District, was a notable exception, and he won the endorsement over the incumbent by a landslide.
“Let me just say at the outset that it is a great privilege to be before IND this evening,” said Myrie. “It’s reform clubs like IND that have lead the way towards progressive reform in the city, so I’m honored to stand before you tonight, and I’m honored to have your support in the State Senate race.”
Before the vote took place, Myrie stood before the voting board to say a few words about his past accomplishments and the issues he pledges to prioritize as state senator, should he win the race. In particular, he spoke at length about the pro bono work he did while he was working for a law firm, in order to illustrate his commitment to helping marginalized groups.
“I helped defend students with disabilities, I helped inmates who were assaulted by correction officers, and I also had the opportunity to defend folks who were seeking asylum in this country,” said Myrie. “So when people ask me why I’m running, I think about working families like mine, I think about the working families I’ve had the opportunities to serve, and I think about the working families in this room.”
Myrie also had some critical words to say about the incumbent, framing him as a “fair-weather Democrat” who switched sides when it was most convenient for him.
“My opponent made a deal with this community when he was elected a Democrat,” said Myrie. “And that deal was, we elect you as a Democrat, and we expect you to go to Albany to fight for Democratic values. But for thirty pieces of silver, my opponent decided that he was going to empower the Trump agenda instead – and now more than ever, our community needs a real state senator, and not just a state ribbon cutter.”
Hamilton, who was not in attendance, is a former member of the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), for which many progressive Democratic clubs such as the IND have no forgiveness. Hamilton, though, has a solid reputation of constituent services and legislation concerning the district.
The meeting was attended by several other incumbent candidates on the endorsement ballot, such as Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon (D-Carroll Garden, Cobble Hill, Borum Hill, Brooklyn Heights), State Assembly 52nd Male District Leader Josh Skaller, State Assembly 52nd Female District Leader Anne Swern, and State Senator Brian Kavanagh (D-Northern Brooklyn, LOwer Manhattan). Each of them were given time to speak about the issues most important to them.
Kavanagh, for instance, spoke about his proposed reforms to New York election laws that would allow for early voting, and a bill he passed earlier this year that prohibits domestic violence offenders from purchasing guns. Simon, meanwhile, focused on women’s rights – particularly sexual harassment laws, in light of the recent allegations brought against former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Though she wasn’t on the ballot last night, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul also showed up to make a case for her endorsement. She, like Simon, made women’s issues the focus of her speech. She discussed the importance of female representation in local government and sexual assault on campus, claiming that she was particularly well-suited to address the latter.
“No one was talking about [sexual assault on campus],” said Hochul. “The governor asked me to spearhead an initiative that would cover forty campuses around the state, bringing together people who were victimized, harassed and assaulted. And I was the person who could take those young women and tell them that they’re going to be okay. Only a woman could do that in that unique way… and I made sure we had some of the toughest laws in the nation as a result of that experience.”
Her opponent, City Council Member Jumaane Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood), showed up to make his case during the IND’s last meeting on April 19. The IND’s endorsement votes for statewide office races – including the race for Lieutenant Governor – will take place during the month of June.
