Democratic candidates Cynthia Nixon and Jessica Ramos exchanged endorsements today, adding to the developing organization of candidates opposed to Andrew Cuomo and the State Democratic Party. Nixon, running for governor against Cuomo, and Ramos, running for state senate against incumbent Senator Jose Peralta, spoke at a press conference in Jackson Heights. Peralta is a former member of the IDC, a group of Democratic state senators who aligned with the Republican members for the past seven years. In April Governor Cuomo engineered a public display of unity between the leader of the IDC and the mainline Senate Democrats but many of those former IDC members, including Peralta, face primary opponents driven by anger at the IDC’s enabling of Republican control of the state senate.
Gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon does not see a need for state action to address the 800+ children living in NYCHA housing recently revealed by the Daily News to have lead levels in amounts considered of concern by the federal government. That federal lead level is below that of the level the City uses to trigger investigations and action. Although the City Health Department knew of those elevated levels it did not notify the City’s Housing Authority and therefor NYCHA did not act to investigate and possibly eliminate or reduce the sources of lead in those cases.
Asked at a Harlem press conference Sunday, where she was endorsed by Melissa Mark-Viverito, whether she sees any state action as necessary and, if so, what action, Nixon replied with a bromide that the city, state and federal governments “have been letting the people of NYCHA down for a long time … in terms of funding” and the hope that increased funding and the recently announced federal monitor will result in “holding those entities accountable.” Nixon expressed optimism that increased funding will produce positive effects. Nixon expressed support for having the federal monitor and said that she does not believe a state monitor (announced and then cancelled by Andrew Cuomo) is necessary.
Former New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito endorsed Cynthia Nixon for governor Sunday, adding some progressive political credibility to Nixon’s underdog campaign. The two spoke at a press conference at 116th Street and Park Avenue, in the heart of Mark-Viverito’s former council district, with members of Make The Road New York Communities For Change joining them on a sweltering afternoon. After the press conference Mark-Viverito and Nixon down Park Avenue several blocks to an outdoor music festival.
Gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon and congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez exchanged endorsements this evening, holding a joint press conference in a Jackson Heights playground and taking a short walk along Junction Boulevard. The cross-endorsements were particularly timed to Ocasio-Cortez’s race, as she faces Rep. Joe Crowley in a Congressional District 14 Democratic primary tomorrow. Nixon is currently petitioning to make a September primary against Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Governor Andrew Cuomo rolled through Evander Childs High School in the Bronx as part of a series of rallies seeking to generate support for a “red flag” law. A “red flag” law would aim to allow teachers, health professionals and others to report potentially dangerous persons for confinement and treatment with the goal of avoiding mass shootings.
Cuomo arrived at the rally on a school bus, traveling from an earlier rally on Long Island. He was joined by several elected officials, including Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Public Advocate and attorney general candidate Tish James, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Rep. Eliot Engel and Council Members Andy King and Ritchie Torres.
The Conservative Party of New York recently selected its 2018 designated candidates for statewide office, mirroring the Republican Party with its choices of Marc Molinaro, Julie Killian, Keith Wofford and Jonathan Trichter for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller, respectively.
There was no debate and virtually no dissent as the Conservative Party selected three Republicans and a Democrat, with a bellowed “no!” to the nomination of Killian the only sign of disagreement from the 50 state committee members.
The New York State Republican Party nominated Marc Molinaro for governor at its state convention. Although several other candidates had sought the nomination, all except Molinaro had either ended their efforts or switched to seeking other office by the opening of the convention.
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.
The Working Families Party endorsed Cynthia Nixon for governor and Jumaane Williams for lieutenant governor, rejecting its 2014 path of political accommodation and instead supporting Nixon and Williams over Governor Andrew Cuomo and Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. The 2014 endorsements were contentious, with a pragmatic view of the utility of supporting Cuomo’s reelection overcoming the ideological kinship many in the party had with Zephyr Teachout and Tim Wu. Several large unions have left the WFP since then however, with 32BJ and CWA withdrawing just ahead of the Nixon endorsement.
The New York Progressive Action Network, an activist group that grew out of the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, recently endorsed Cynthia Nixon for governor and Jumaane Williams for lieutenant governor.
The Democratic Rural Conference drew nearly all of New York State’s major Democratic elected officials to its 2018 annual meeting, with Governor Andrew Cuomo, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, NYS Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, NYS Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand leading the elected attendees. Rep. Paul Tonko, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, NYS Senator Michael Gianaris, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and NYC Council Member and candidate for lieutenant governor Jumaane Williams also attended. The DRC is composed of Democrats from small counties who for the past 20 years have worked jointly to increase their impact in state politics.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon visited Crown Heights, receiving the endorsement of the activist group New York Communities for Change. Nixon refused to answer press questions.
Three Republican gubernatorial candidates pitched their candidacies to the Manhattan Republican Executive Committee Wednesday night, seeking the Committee’s endorsement in the developing race for the party’s 2018 nomination. Joe Holland, John DeFrancisco and Marc Molinaro each addressed the audience at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Republican Club for about 25 minutes, with 10 minutes for a speech and 15 minutes for audience Q&A.