City Council Endorsement

In the course of most election cycles candidates scramble to win the endorsement or support of numerous organizations and individuals. Some are from Labor groups, others from special interests groups, while others still, organizations that exist solely to monitor our government and vet candidates using a series of independent indicators that collectively add up to the right mix of experience, principals, and vision. Known as "Good Government Groups" their endorsements contrast against the others because of their fair, balanced, and holistic approach to issues of importance.

If the endorsement or support of a good government group is important, then the most coveted of them all in New York is that of the Citizen's Union. This organization has always been at the forefront of the true progressive platform, including workers rights, voting rights, marriage equality, women's right to choose, hydrofracking, and much more. Their support comes with nothing more than their seal of approval. There are no campaign dollars attached, no election day workers assigned, donors lined up, nothing. You know an endorsement is important when despite this, candidates still move heaven and earth to try to get their support. Unlike other groups that call themselves progressive yet cut backroom deals for endorsements, the Citizens Union stands alone in both its progressive platform and staunch independence of political gamesmanship.

All this is to say that when a candidate receives Citizens Union's coveted endorsement, is the truest edification regarding his/her candidacy.

I am deeply humbled to announce that yesterday I was notified that I received the Citizens Union's endorsement. I am their recommended candidate for the upcoming election cycle. I am even more humbled by the fact that this truly independent body did its due diligence and found that there was only one true progressive in this race, and that is me. That's because I will respect all voices in the district, not just those I agree with. I will fight to protect and expand workers' rights, women's rights, as well as the right for true marriage equality, and ending once and for all the disparities in access to affordable quality healthcare. I will partner with the business community to help create meaningful, family-sustaining jobs, not vilify them for being successful, while holding them accountable to pay their fair share of the tax burden.

The Democratic Party is about to hold its primary election on September 10, 2013. Democratic party principals are getting attacked around the country. Votes are being suppressed. Access to healthcare threatened. Pathways to citizenship sabotaged. The right to marry denied. If there was ever a time for true democrats to stand up, it is now. We are a party to has always been the champion of the expansion of rights, not their suppression. This is not the time for "Cafeteria Democrats"--those candidates that want to champion only a handful of our party's ideals and leave the rest behind, and obfuscating their lack of support. Voters deserve more from us than this.

To be a Democrat is to be a true progressive. I respectfully and humbly ask for your vote as the one true progressive in the race, the candidate that is a believer in ALL the principals of the Democratic Party, the one that will champion the expansion of rights for all persons.