Friday, September 20

Political Landscape 2021: What Contests Will There Be in New York and Who Are the Candidates?

The 2020 was left behind as one of the most intense electoral years in recent times, where the battle for the Presidency of the United States turned into a close pulse between Trump and Biden , who still has to the current occupant of the White House without showing signs of wanting to pack suitcases.

And although this 2021 has just begun, beyond the expectation that exists before the next inauguration of Joe Biden as national president, in the city of New York on electoral arena is already in full action.

This year for the Great Apple will be an election year of great proportions, not only because New Yorkers will go to the polls to elect the successor of Bill de Blasio in the Mayor’s Office, for the 2022 , with more than one vei ntena of applicants to the second most important position in the country, but there are also other contests that will define the direction in which the city will head for the near future.

The largest This contest will have a great impact at the political level 2021 has to do with the Municipal Council, which will change its face. Of the 51 members that make up that body, a total of 29, that is more than half , will not be able to seek re-election due to a time limit, so they will be open races that will bring new politicians to the legislative arena, which currently owns 48 Democrats and three Republicans.

27 Democrats and 2 Republicans will not remain on the Council , and among those who van highlights recognized political figures of the city, who have influenced the destinations of recent years, such as the president of the legislative chamber, Corey Johnson, the president of the Transportation Committee, Ydanis Rodríguez and the president of the Immigration Committee, Carlos Menchaca, among others.

The primaries will not be in September, as is usually done, but will take place on 22 of June and the general elections are scheduled for on November 2 .

The fight for the Mayor’s Office is joined by positions such as the Ombudsman’s Office, occupied by Jumaane Williams, the presidencies of Manhattan, with Gael Brewer at the helm, and Queens, with newly elected Donovan Richard, as well as the Bronx, Staten Island and Brooklyn, for limited terms. Likewise, the Comptroller’s Office, which Scott Stringer currently holds, and other positions have dozens of candidates starting engines in their campaigns.

Here we present a list with several of the main races that will define the political map of New York City for the 2021, with the candidates who hope to succeed after the upcoming elections.

Mayor of New York

In this contest, more than twenty applicants from different political positions, including former officials of the De Blasio Administration, community activists, and current holders of public offices. On the list of contenders are several figures of Hispanic origin, such as councilman Carlos Menchaca and community organizer Dianne Morales, who hope to make history with campaigns based on the power of communities, away from large corporations.

Applicants:

  • Eric Adams : current president of the borough of Brooklyn, of the Democratic party
  • Andrew Yang : former presidential candidate for the Democratic Party
  • Shaun Donovan : Former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, former Director of the Office of Management and Budget and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development of the United States
  • Quanda Francis : President of Sykes Capital Management
  • Kathryn Gar co : Former New York City Sanitation Commissioner
  • Raymond McGuire : Citigroup executive
  • Carlos Menchaca : president of the Immigration Committee of the Municipal Council
  • Dianne Morales : executive director of a non-profit organization and community activist
  • Scott Stringer : Comptroller of the City of New York
  • Loree Sutton : Former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Veterans Services
  • Maya Wiley : New School teacher, former attorney for Bill de Blasio and former chair of the Civil Complaints Review Board
  • Other candidates are : Democrats Quanda Francis, Zach Iscol, Ray McGuire , Paperboy Prince, Joycelyn T aylor, Aaron Foldenauer, Kevin Coenen, and Eddie Cullen. Likewise, Republicans Bill Pepitone, Curtis Sliwa, Cleopatra Fitzgerald, and Abbey Laurel-Smith.
  • Ombudsman

    The office of the Ombudsman, held by former councilor Jumaane Williams, will be under electoral scrutiny and the current head of that portfolio is seeking his re-election. The special importance of this position is that in the line of succession of the Mayor’s Office, if the municipal president is absent, it is the Ombudsman who assumes power.

    Applicants:

    • Jumaane Williams : current head of that office
    • Theo Chino : Democratic candidate, who serves as a computer engineer and activist
    • Anthony Herbert : Democratic candidate, who is serves as a community consultant

    New York City Comptroller

    This year, due to expiration of limits in office, Controller Scott Stringer must leave his post and give way to a new management of the body , who acts as fiscal director and auditor of the use of state and municipal government funds ipal. Whoever wins the contest will be in office for 4 years and can run for reelection.

    Applicants:

    • Brian Benjamin : Democratic state senator for Harlem and the Upper West Side, who worked especially on issues such as police reform
    • Brad Lander : Councilor for Brooklyn, considered one of the most progressive voices in the legislative body
    • David Weprin : Assemblyman for the District 24 of Queens in the State Legislature from NY, from 2010
    • Kevin Parker: State Senator of the NY Legislature for the District 21 of Brooklyn

    Manhattan District Attorney

    By e he post of prosecutor Cyrus Roberts Vance Jr. there are a dozen applicants, including several women. An assemblyman and two former officials of the Prosecutor’s Office appear among the contenders. This office is considered one of the most important prosecutors in the city in charge of analyzing police reports and deciding prosecutions.

    Applicants:

    • Diana Florence : Of Democratic affiliation, the prosecutor worked in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for 25 years where he managed the Construction Fraud Task Force. In dialogue with El Diario, the candidate assured that she is running for office to defend people who never thought they would have a chance to win their cases and fight “against the interests of the powerful and corruption.” The case of Carlos Moncayo, an undocumented Ecuadorian carpenter from 22 years that “was buried alive in an unprotected trench of 14 feet in the middle of a multi-million dollar construction site in lower Manhattan ”is one of his best known cases.

      “The Moncayo family deserved justice, and Florence prosecuted the company and the foreman for the death of Carlos. In its 26 years of In her career, Florence was the first to prosecute a domestic violence case without the need for the victim to testify in court, she obtained the highest conviction for wage theft in the country returning $ 6 million to 500 immigrant workers and fought against landlords who deceive and harass people to get them out of their apartments, ”said his campaign.
    • Lucy Lang: Democratic candidate, entered the Lower Manhattan District Attorney’s Office led by then-Chief Robert Morgenthau, and has served as a senior homicide and domestic violence prosecutor under Prosecutor Cy Vance and a policy and project advisor.
    • Tahanie Aboushi: is a lawyer who has fought for the protection of civil rights, daughter of immigrants from Palestine .
    • Alvin Bragg : of Democratic affiliation, the Former deputy state attorney general and federal attorney, he is running a progressive platform without accepting corporate money for his campaign
    • Liz Crotty : Democrat, former prosecutor of the Manhattan Division of Investigations under prosecutor Robert Morgenthau and current attorney
    • Janos Marton : Democrat, civil rights attorney from the American Civil Liberties Union and Corruption Investigator
    • Eliza Orlins : She is a public attorney and former member of Legal Aid, who has been on reality shows like “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race.”
    • Dan Quart : Assemblyman of the State Legislature for the East Side of Manhattan

      Tali Farhadian: Democratic, was a prosecutor at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, where he worked in justice for wrongful convictions. She was also secretary to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

    Manhattan Borough Presidency

    Before the departure of Gael Brewer due to a time limit in that office, the chair of that county will be empty and so far six candidates are in the competition, including councilors Mark Levine and Ben Kallos. In Manhattan there are more than 1.5 million registered voters, largely Democrats.

    Applicants:

    • Lindsey Boylan : Former Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and Special Advisor to the Governor and Former Candidate for New York’s 10th Congressional District in 2020
  • Elizabeth Caputo : former president of Manhattan Community Board # 7
  • Brad Hoylman : State Senator in the NY Legislature
  • Ben Kallos : Councilor for New York District 5
  • Mark Levine : Chairman of the City Council Health Committee
  • Kimberly Watkins : Activist and progressive leader
  • Brooklyn Presidency

    Eric Adams, county president and mayoral candidate, cannot seek his re-election because of ma Limited data and among the list of Democratic candidates who aspire to that position there are more than a dozen names, including a couple of Latinos

    Applicants:

    • Antonio Reynoso: Councilor of Dominican origin
    • Robert Cornegy: City Councilor
    • Khari Edwards: communal activist
    • Robert Elstein : artist
    • Mathieu Eugene: councilor of Haitian origin

    • Shanduke McPhatter: activist
    • Jo Anne Simon: Member of the State Assembly
    • Lamor Whitehead-Miller: pastor
  • Other applicants are: Pearlene Fields, Anthony Jones and Robert Ramos Jr.
  • Queens Presidency

    Current county chairman Donovan Richards, who took office in December after winning victory in a special election to replace Sharon Lee, interim president who replaced Melinda Katz, current County Attorney, will seek full term reelection.

    Applicants:

    • Donovan Richards: current county chairman and former councilman
    • Stan Morse : community organizer

    • Jimmy Van Bramer: City Council member for Queens

    Bronx Presidency

    The current president Rubén Díaz Jr. due to his limited mandate cannot run for a fourth consecutive term, for so its position will be free and 5 applicants, some councilors, seek to rise with the chair.

    Applicants:

    • Fernando Cabrera: Latino councilor for that county
    • Nathalia Fernández: New York State Assemblyman for the District 80
  • Vanessa Gibson: Councilor for New York
  • The activists Víctor H. Gutiérrez and Samuel Ravelo , they are also in contention
  • Staten Island Presidency

    Republican James Oddo has a limited term, so he will not be able to seek re-election for a third term either.

    Applicants:

    • Steven Matteo : member of the City Council and Leticia M. Remauro seek the nomination for the position

    City Council

    The City Council, the body in charge of making the laws of the City of New York, will also be the scene of major disputes this 2021, since 29 chairs of the 51 that make up that body will be left empty, meaning that the next Municipal Council will have a new face. A total of 29 Democrats and 2 Republicans will not continue in that chamber.

    Within the contests for the legislative body, that of the District draws special attention 10 of Manhattan, where the chair is empty due that the incumbent, Ydanis Rodríguez , who is rumored to be added to the list of candidates for the Presidency of Manhattan, will not be able to seek his re-election due to term limits.

    Applicants:

    • Carmen De La Rosa : Assembly member of Dominican origin
    • Angela Fernández : community organizer
    • Johanna Garcia : activist and community leader
    • Other candidates are Josue Pérez, Manny De Los Santos and Nayma Silver-Matos

    Councilors who will not seek reelection in the 2021

    • District 1: Councilor Margaret Chin
    • District 3: Councilor Corey Johnson

    • District 5: Councilman Ben Kallos
    • District 6: Councilmember Helen Rosenthal
    • District 7: Councilman Mark Levine
    • District 10: Councilor Ydanis Rodríguez
    • District 10: Councilor Fernando Cabrera
    • District 19: Councilmember Vanessa Gibson
    • District 19: Councilor Paul Vallone
    • Dist rite 21: Councilor Peter Koo
    • District 22: Councilor Costa Constantinides
  • District 24: Councilor Danny Dromm
  • District 26: Councilor Jimmy Van Bramer
  • District 27: Councilor Daneek Miller
  • District 29: Councilor Karen Koslowitz
  • District 32: Councilor Eric Ulrich
  • District 33: Councilor Stephen Levin
  • District 33: Councilor Antonio Reyno so
  • District 35: Councilor Laurie Cumbo
  • District 36: Councilman Robert Cornegy
  • District 38: Councilor Carlos Menchaca
  • District 38: Councilor Brad Lander
  • District 40: Councilor Mathieu Eugene
  • District 42: Councilor Inez Barron
  • District 46: Councilor Alan Maisel
  • District 47: Councilor Mark Treyger
  • District 48: Councilor Chaim Deutsch
  • District 49: Councilor Debi Rose
  • District 50 : Councilor Steven Matteo