Category Archives: Jeff Dinowitz

Photo Gallery: Bronx Dems For Williams



Public Advocate Jumaane Williams’ apparent glide path to his June primary and November general election was smoothed with an endorsement from the Bronx Democratic Party and several prominent elected Bronx Democrats.  With the petitioning period ended, Williams will not face any well-known primary opponents.

Electeds joining Williams included Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Assembly Member and Bronx Democratic Chairman Marcos Crespo, Assembly Members Latoya Joyner, Jeff Dinowitz, Victor Pichardo and Nathalia Fernandez and Council Members Andrew Cohen and Ritchie Torres.  Assembly Member Michael Blake, who ran against Williams in the February special election, did not attend the rally but appeared immediately afterward and expressed his support for Williams.  That special election put Williams into office through the end of 2019 and the November general election will fill the remaining three years of former public advocate and current NYS Attorney General Tish James’ unexpired term.

Photo Gallery:

Our full photo gallery is available here.

Public Advocate Special Election Photo Retrospective



An election with 17 candidates, after 31 aspirants expressed interest and campaigned, and a comparatively short three months of campaigning.  Triggered by Tish James’s November election as New York State attorney general and resulting resignation as public advocate, the public advocate special election was, for New York, a unique electoral experience.  Held with an unprecedented number of candidates and the absence of established party designations or nominations it was New York City’s first citywide special election.  Candidate forums were the predominant public campaign activity, with several dozen held around the city by a wide range of civic and political groups.  Our gallery has moments from the start to finish – take a look.

Photo Gallery:

Our full public advocate special election photo retrospective gallery is available here.

Additional Galleries:

We have a gallery of group portraits from many of the candidate forums here.

We have a gallery with photos of candidates with family members here.

Cuomo & Klein, Hochul Too (Updated)



Governor Andrew Cuomo gave a strong speech in support of State Senator Jeff Klein this afternoon, joining a GOTV rally in the Bronx.  Klein, leader of the breakaway “Independent Democratic Conference” which controls the state senate in cooperation with the Republican minority, faces Oliver Koppell in a Democratic primary on Tuesday.

Post-rally Press Conference:

Cuomo, joined by his lieutenant governor running mate Kathy Hochul and Klein, spoke with the press following the rally.  After a statement touting Hochul and Klein’s candidacies, he answered press questions.  Topics included his encounter with Zephyr Teachout at the Labor Day Parade Saturday, Hochul’s candidacy, his engagement with the IDC and Republicans, whether he’s “advanced progressive ideals” and his “ethics agenda”.  The press conference concluded with an attempt to ask Hochul about being referred to during the rally as a “young lady.”

 

Update – Speech Highlights:

Speakers included Governor Cuomo, Hochul, Assembly Member Jeff Dinowitz, Assembly Member and Bronx County Democratic Chair Carl Heastie, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr and Klein.

As you’ll see in our highlight reel, the speeches displayed much of what Team Cuomo has going for it; four years in office with some significant legislative accomplishments, nearly universal support from elected Democrats and their political organizations, enormous amounts of state money spent over the past four years which, whether well spent or not produces support from recipients, and a powerful speaker at the top of the ticket.  There’s humor, a few exaggerations and basic politicking mixed with some contortions around the fact that Klein and his IDC have kept the Senate Republicans in shared power and the fact that governor has embraced many of those same Republicans.  Among the contortions, Dinowitz’s statement that “Jeff Klein has never supported a Republican.  Not once, not ever, not one itty bitty time.”  Klein ran on the Republican line in 2012, getting 15,000 of his 80,000 votes on that line.