Early last year — months before the coronavirus pandemic gripped the city — out gay Queens Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer was, by any measure, a leading candidate in the race for Queens borough president.
The third-term city lawmaker, scratching and clawing to stand out in a crowded race, had secured his place in the progressive lane, drawing support from influential political figures ranging from Public Advocate Jumaane Williams to former gubernatorial candidates Zephyr Teachout and Cynthia Nixon, who is lesbian. Other LGBTQ leaders also flocked to Van Bramer’s camp, including activist Cecilia Gentili, City Council candidate Marti Allen-Cummings, and out gay former State Senator Thomas Duane.
