Powerful Brooklyn progressives who represent large swaths of the newly drawn Congressional District 10 threw their support behind Council Member Carlina Rivera (D – Manhattan) Friday over ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio, giving her a possible edge in the contest for the new seat.
On the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall, Rivera – who represents the East Village and Lower East Side in the council – announced that she’s picked up the endorsements of Congress Member Nydia Velázquez (D – Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens), Council Member Lincoln Restler (D – Brooklyn) and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
“With so much of the district I’ve represented for 30 years soon becoming part of the newly drawn NY-10, I trust Carlina Rivera to serve these neighborhoods with the attention, care and dignity they deserve,” Velázquez said in a release. “I’ve seen Carlina go to bat for our communities time and time again as a Council Member, winning hard fought victories for climate justice, affordable housing, healthcare access, and resources for our neighborhoods. With her deep roots in this district and her experience of delivering real results for New Yorkers, Carlina is the best candidate for NY-10. We will be better for having her voice, creativity, and drive in Washington.”
Rivera said she greatly values Velazquez’s support considering the longtime representative has been a political mentor to her and they’re both Puerto Rican women.
“It’s not every day that a Puerto Rican girl from the Lower East Side has someone like Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez to look up to, and I’ve been so incredibly fortunate to have her guidance and mentorship over the years,” Rivera said. “Congresswoman Velazquez’s endorsement means the world to me. With 47% of NY-07 soon to make up a significant portion of the new NY-10, I know the bar is high. The Congresswoman has served our communities with fierce compassion and determination, delivering results for us across every issue from fighting for public housing to empowering small businesses so our neighborhoods can thrive.”
The new district includes much of Manhattan below 14th Street as well as Brooklyn neighborhoods like Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope and Sunset Park. Under the current, and soon to be old Congressional maps, Velázquez represents several parts of the new District 10 including Sunset Park, Brooklyn Heights and part of the Lower East Side.
PoliticsNY previously reported that Velázquez would almost certainly endorse Rivera in the race, likely leading Restler to also throw his lot in with his council colleague over de Blasio – who he worked under in City Hall for several years. This is because Restler is close political allies with Velázquez.
Rivera has served on the City Council since 2017, winning reelection in 2021, where she serves as chair of the Committee on Criminal Justice. Before that she worked for several community-based non-profits on the Lower East Side.
The council member wasn’t the only District 10 candidate who got endorsements Friday. Congress Member Mondaire Jones – who’s running in CD10 after getting persuaded not to run again for his current Rockland County and Westchester seat by House leadership – got the backing of Democracy for America (DFA), a progressive political action committee and Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ plus advocacy group.
“After breaking barriers in 2020 by becoming the first openly gay, Black person ever elected to Congress, Rep. Mondaire Jones got right to work as a bold, progressive champion for working families,” DFA’s Chief Political Officer Chris Scott said in a release. “Mondaire has already distinguished himself as a rising star in the Democratic Party who all of us at Democracy for America can’t wait to fight alongside for many years to come.”
Also vying for the open seat are former city Comptroller and Congress Member Elizabeth Holtzman, Assembly Members Yuh-Line Niou (D – Manhattan) and Jo Anne Simon (D – Brooklyn) and Dan Goldman, who was lead counselor in the impeachment of former-President Donald Trump.
