Photo Gallery: WFP Convention



The New York Working Families Party completed its rejection of Andrew Cuomo, nominating Cynthia Nixon for governor and Jumaane Williams for lieutenant governor at its recent convention.  The WFP had endorsed Nixon and Williams in April, but those endorsements did not actually place them on the ballot as candidates.  The party held a two-part session at Harlem’s First Corinthian Baptist Church, with a formal nominating meeting in an upstairs room followed by a rally and candidate speeches in the church’s main hall.

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Photo Gallery: James AG Kickoff



New York City Public Advocate kicked off her campaign for New York State attorney general with a Brooklyn rally and brief press conference.  Appearing with about 100 supporters Wednesday James declared that she’s seeking the Democratic nomination for attorney general, but she is not seeking to be appointed by the state legislature to the roughly six month balance of former attorney general Eric Schneiderman’s term.  James has also said that she’s not seeking the Working Families Party nomination for attorney general, reportedly under pressure from Governor Andrew Cuomo.

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Our full  photo gallery is available here.

Alicandro Launches



Republican Manny Alicandro launched his campaign for attorney general last week, appearing on Wall Street in front of Federal Hall.  Alicandro’s appearance was low wattage, without a backdrop of supporters and a limited showing of party leaders with one Republican county chair, Mike Rendino of the Bronx, and two Conservative Party chairman, Tom Long of Queens and Gerard Kassar of Brooklyn joining him.

The race was transformed hours later as incumbent attorney general Eric Schneiderman suddenly resigned, shortly after The New Yorker reported on multiple allegations of assault by Schneiderman against romantic partners.  Schneiderman had been widely viewed as virtually certain to be reelected to a third term, and the Republican Party had found little interest from potential candidates.   At his launch Alicandro appeared to likely be the only candidate for the Republican and Conservative Party nominations, but additional prospective candidates have surfaced in the wake of Schneiderman’s resignation. Continue reading Alicandro Launches

Photo Gallery: Nixon at Cannabis Rally



Gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon appeared at a Union Square rally following the Pro-Cannabis Parade last Saturday, urging full legalization of marijuana.  Speaking to about 1,000 people Nixon cast her support as primarily driven by racial disparity in marijuana arrests, declaring that “I want to do it first and foremost because it’s a racial justice issue.”

Legalization has moved close to, if not quite right inside, the political mainstream in recent years.  It’s still somewhat outside that mainstream with  New York elected officials however, and that distance was reflected in the paucity of electeds and candidates appearing at this rally.  Although the rally was fairly heavy on gubernatorial candidates, with Nixon, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins and Reform Party hopeful Joel Giambra appearing, neither Andrew Cuomo or Marc Molinaro appeared or have voiced support for full legalization.  Assembly Member Dick Gottfried, who proudly touted his 1975 bill that decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, and Council Member and candidate for lieutenant governor Jumaane Williams also spoke.

Photo Gallery:

Our full photo gallery is available here.