Kagan Officially Announces Run in District 47
Democratic District Leader Ari Kagan, a longtime political activist in Southern Brooklyn, made it official in a recent Facebook post that he is running to succeed term-limited City Council Member Marker Treyger (D-Coney Island, Gravesend, Bensonhurst) in the 47th Council District.
“Today I am officially announcing my candidacy for the New York City Council in the 47th District. From Mermaid Avenue to 18th Avenue, every neighbor, every small business, every house of worship, every school, and every community group are part of a broad coalition of support that makes our community strong. Nobody should be left behind,” Kagan wrote on a Facebook post.
Originally a journalist from Belarus, Kagan currently works as a community liaison for Treyger, and formerly worked for Comptroller and mayoral candidate Scott Stringer. He lost a close election for city council in the neighboring 48th District to term-limited City Councilman Chaim Deutsch (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Homecrest, Midwood) in 2013 and an even closer election to former Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny in 2006 for the assembly seat now occupied by Assemblymember Mathylde Frontus (D-Coney Island, Bay Ridge, Brighton Beach).
Interestingly, Brook-Krasny who first stepped down from the assembly and then was found not guilty on questionable felony charges involving healthcare fraud, is also running for the city council seat. One thing to look for in this races is to see if Frontus, a political rival of Treyger, flexes her political muscle and backs Brook-Krasny, who is a strong supporter of Frontus.
Not to be counted out here is young political upstart, Steven Patzer, who has been doing a lot of volunteer work in the district and has raised a healthy $20,000 thus far for the race thus far. Also in the race is Joseph Packer.
Restler Gets Working Families Party Endorsement
CREDIT: Benjamin Kanter
The New York Working Families Party (WFP) today announced its endorsement of Lincoln Restler who is running for term-limited City Council Member Stephen Levin‘s (D-Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Dumbo, Greenpoint, Vinegar Hill, Williamsburg) seat in District 33.
Restler is a founding member of the reform-minded political club, New King Democrats. A former district leader, Restler was a top lieutenant in the de Blasio Administration and is currently the managing director of the non-profit St. Nicks Alliance where he works to connect his community to good jobs, fill the gaps in early-childhood and after-school education, and build tenant power.
“The Working Families Party advocates every day for tenant protections, for living wages, for an end to police brutality, and for a vision of New York that delivers for everyone. I am so honored to be a part of the WFP slate to remake the City Council in 2021,” said Restler. “This coalition will fight together to not only recover with justice from this pandemic, but to build a more equitable New York City.”
The WFP also endorsed Jennifer Gutiérrez for Term-limited Antonio Reynoso‘s (D-Greenpoint, Williamsburg) District 34 seat and Sandy Nurse for District 37 (Bushwick, Brownsville, Cypress Hills, East New York Brooklyn.
