Editor’s Note: Every Friday, we will be posting a brief rundown of new developments in the primary races for citywide office.
Mayoral Race
Endorsements
On January 8, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer was endorsed by central Brooklyn Assemblymembers Nick Perry and Diana Richardson in his run for Mayor.
The endorsements, though not unexpected considering Perry and Richardson’s acrimonious relations with both Kings County Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte and Brooklyn Borough President and mayoral candidate Eric Adams, is part of Stringer’s Brooklyn for Stringer initiative.
“We know Scott Stringer. We know his character and his commitment to our communities. New York City is a one-of-a-kind town, and we need a one-of-a-kind leader to be our next mayor,” said Perry. ”Look at all the names that have been thrown into the mayoral race, and the candidate superbly ready and equipped to take on the job of mayor, on day one, is unquestionably Scott Stringer. He knows we need real criminal justice reform, and he’ll make that happen. With Scott Stringer as Mayor, every New Yorker will be treated equally under our laws. With an unquestionable knowledge of our city budget, he’s ready to lead the equitable recovery New York City needs after the COVID-19 pandemic.
On January 13, Mayoral Candidate Eric Adams was endorsed by more than a dozen of the city’s leaders in the African community and clergy on the steps of the Bronx Municipal Building. They cited his ability to lead New York back from a recession and the health and public safety crises that have disproportionately impacted communities of color as the reason for their backing of Adams.
“This New York City mayoral election is the most important election in the city’s recent history, due to the ongoing pandemic, difficult economic conditions, public safety concerns and the growing political ideological divide among New Yorkers,” said Sheikh Musa Drammeh. “After going through the backgrounds, qualifications, experiences and leadership skills needed to unify our city and overcome the daunting socioeconomic and health challenges it is facing, Mr. Eric Adams comes out on top among all other candidates running to be our next mayor. Special times require the special leadership skills that Mr. Eric Adams possesses. I therefore wholeheartedly support Mr. Adams to be our next mayor.”
Drammeh was joined at the endorsement event by several organizations within the african diaspora, including Gbenga Gbengus Subair, President, African Union Day Foundation; Alhadji Ebu Cham, Chairman, United Gambian Association; Mory Koyate, Chairman, African Immigrants Commission of NY & CT; Bishop Angelo Rosario, Chairman, Bronx Clergy Task Force; Catharine Kojo, Founder, Keymama Foundation; Marion Frampton, Chairman, TBS New Direction; Darnes Kborn Rivers, Chairman, I am My Community, Inc.; Khady Diaby, Founder, Mother Association Keita Organization (MAKO); Al Quattlebaum, President, See Us Rise Above; Shireena Drammeh, Executive Director, Islamic Cultural Center of North America; Robert Fields Jackson; Imam Souleymane Konate, Chairman, African Imams Council; and Sadio Barry, President, Senegalese Association.
On January 14, U.S Rep Ritchie Torres endorsed and will be co-chair in Mayoral Candidate Andrew Yang’s campaign.
Yang, via Twitter, said: Thank you to @RitchieTorres for his endorsement today – it was a privilege getting to do a bit of work alongside you Ritchie. The love was palpable. We are just getting started.
Announcements
On January 10, Stringer releases City Climate plan, painting a “Stringer Administration” as pioneering bold new policies and furthering the Green New Deal in New York City.
“Comptroller Stringer’s visionary climate plan is exactly the kind of comprehensive strategy that New York City needs to protect our environment, build a more livable city, and ensure we can withstand the devastating effects of climate change,” said Costa Constantinides, who Chairs the New York City Council Committee on Environmental Protection. “More than eight years after Superstorm Sandy pummeled many of our communities, it’s past time to get serious about building a sustainable future. Scott Stringer’s agenda is the right plan that matches the urgency of this moment.”
On January 11, Mayoral Candidate and former Civilian Complaint Review Board Chair Maya Wiley released her New Deal New York plan, which is a vision for economic recovery in the city through a $10 Billion citywide investment. The plan includes models for climate resiliency, transforming NYCHA; modernizing physical, digital and transportation infrastructure; and designing a recovery for artists and culture workers.
“Communities of color have faced long standing barriers to adequate and safe housing, roads, healthcare, and jobs and it’s time for city leaders to be honest and admit that our city’s inequity is by design. New Deal New York is going to get people back to work, invest in communities and take on the structural racism that has plagued our workforce and infrastructure. Our recovery needs to be bold, ambitious, and inclusive because that is what it will take to ensure a New York City for the 21st Century and a city where we all can live with dignity,” said Wiley.
Wiley also announced on Jan. 14 that she had $3 million in her deposit box with 75 percent of 7,000 different donors contributing less than $100, said the press release.
On January 13, Kathryn Garcia’s mayoral campaign announced that it will file with $300,000 raised in less than three months from a grassroots coalition of more than 1,500 donors. More than 70 percent of NYC contributors reside in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island–a strong showing of outer borough support for the campaign and the diverse coalition of Garcia supporters.
Until she announced her resignation from the Department of Sanitation in September, Kathryn served as Commissioner of Sanitation and Food Czar–distributing more than 130 million meals to New Yorkers. Garcia officially launched her campaign last month.
“With 5 major union endorsements and a grassroots coalition of support from New Yorkers, we are exactly on track to where we need to be,” said campaign manager Monika Hansen.
On January 13 and 14, Mayoral candidate Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams initially announced that his campaign had approximately $6.9 million in cash-on-hand for the June mayoral primary, and then said yesterday that they are ahead with $8.6 million after funds are matched eight-to-one.
“Our campaign for the future of New York City is growing faster and faster every day–and I am so proud that we are the first to reach this critical fundraising goal,” Borough President Eric Adams said. “Every-day New Yorkers from every corner of the city are supporting the campaign because they want someone with the vision, leadership and lived experience to deliver for them and deliver on the promise of our great city. I know what it is like to live with hardship, and I will bring that blue collar mindset to City Hall to bring this city back stronger than ever, especially for those who need help the most.”
On January 14, City Comptroller Scott Stringer was close behind Adams with $8.3 million after matching funds from the Campaign Finance Board while former CitiGroup exec Ray McGuire had $5 million up to 3,700 donors and without the advantage of the matching funds program.
Stringer also received another $38,503 today, Jan. 15 in public matching funds under the city’s $8-to$1 matching funds program for certain kinds of contributions.
Events
- Maya Wiley Public Schedule for January 15, 2021
8:00 PM: Maya Wiley attends The Justice Clapback: Mayoral Feedback Loop. The event can be viewed on Facebook at this link.
Comptroller Race
Endorsement
On January 13, Comptroller Candidate and City Councilman Brad Lander (D-Brooklyn) has been endorsed by the New York Working Families Party, Congressman Jerry Nadler, State Senators Alessandra Biaggi, Andrew Gounardes and Julia Salazar, City Council Members Justin Brannan, Margaret Chin and Debi Rose, labor unions CWA District 1 and UAW Region 9A, community organizations Make the Road Action, New York Communities for Change, VOCAL Action Fund, New York Progressive Action Network, and Lambda Independent Democrats.
Announcements
Lander also announced that he had raised approximately $4 million, including matching funds projected from the most recent fundraising period which closed Monday. Lander reports raising more than $163,000 from more than 2,000 donors over the last six months, including an estimated $118,000 in matchable funds, making him eligible for approximately $944,000 in additional public matching funds. In December, Lander was the only Comptroller candidate to receive matching funds, earning $2.3 million in public financing to add to the $652,421 total he had reported as of July.
“I’m proud to have earned the support of so many New Yorkers and so grateful for NYC’s public elections financing program, which is making it possible for me to run a grassroots race accountable to the people of our city rather than corporate and Wall Street executives,” said Lander
Lander has pledged to refuse donations from for-profit real estate developers, fossil fuel executives, private equity and investment fund managers, police unions, and corporate PACs and lobbyists.
Comptroller candidate and State Sen. and Brian Benjamin (D-Manhattan today, Jan. 15, received $952,162 in public matching funds adding to the $462,312 he has already raised not counting today’s filing deadline.
Comptroller candidate and State Sen. Kevin Parker (D-Brooklyn) reported raising $121,399 in his first filing in the primary with the Campaign Finance Board.
Events
- The next public funds dispersal slated for February will be based on the fundraising reported this week.
