Just days after India B. Walton won the June 22 Democratic primary for mayor, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams traveled to Buffalo for a press conference re-enforcing his previous endorsement – her first major show of support.
Now Walton is returning the favor with backing for Williams as he launches his campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
"I regard Jumaane as the quintessential movement candidate – always with the people, on the picket line, at the union hall, in the streets,” Walton said. ”No matter the fight, you can depend on Jumaane to be on the side of the oppressed, the forgotten, the marginalized, the excluded.
"He has been a champion for everyday working-class New Yorkers in every position he has held," she added, "and I know that he has exactly the energy and values we need in Albany to ensure that, when we finally emerge from this pandemic, we are not ‘returning to normal,’ but forging a new normal – one that works for all of us, not just the wealthy elite.”
People are also reading…
Walton, a democratic socialist, eventually lost the general election to incumbent Byron W. Brown on Nov. 3. But she still emerged as a major figure in the Democratic Party's left wing, and her first re-emergence since the election may signal at least some level of continued political involvement.
She was unavailable for comment Monday.
Williams, who holds New York City's second-highest office and is elected citywide, failed to gain a major ally in Buffalo City Hall when Brown won an unprecedented fifth term. Still, he now appears to be cementing his appeal to the most liberal Democrats, who tend to demonstrate strength in party primaries.
Walton could rally much of that faction of the party for Williams, who previously ran statewide in the 2018 Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, won by current Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“India Walton inspired a movement in Buffalo and across the state – her campaign showed how progressive, community-centered politics can excite Democrats and mobilize a movement," Williams said Monday. “True leadership demands bold vision, and calls us to prioritize political courage, not political convenience – I believe we need that kind of leadership from Buffalo to Brooklyn.”
Williams often visits Buffalo and is expected to tap into the base that provided Walton with 41% of the mayoral vote on Nov. 3. But he must contend in the primary with Hochul, who has announced her candidacy for next November's election, and who enters the race with a hefty campaign treasury of about $11 million. Attorney General Letitia James has also officially announced, and is seen as a formidable candidate.
Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi of Nassau County has also announced, and is thought to be planning an appeal to more moderate Democrats.
In addition, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is exploring a candidacy and is expected to seek support around the state after he leaves office on Dec. 31. He plans to push for new education initiatives during this statewide travels.
