BY THE VILLAGE SUN | Showing that the 10th Congressional District primary election is anyone’s call, the Daily News on Sunday endorsed Elizabeth Holtzman.
The newspaper’s editorial board dubbed Holtzman, “the class of the large field.”
The newly redrawn 10th District includes almost all of Manhattan south of 14th Street, plus a swath of mostly liberal Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Park Slope, Carroll Gardens and Red Hook, plus conservative Orthodox Borough Park.
Turning 81 this week, Holtzman was first elected to Congress 50 years ago. She also served as Brooklyn district attorney and New York City comptroller.
Although there are calls within his own party for another octogenarian politician, Joe Biden, to step down after this term, the News said Holtzman “is every bit as plugged in and energetic as her competitors, amplifying her breadth of experience and in-depth knowledge of both national and local issues. In fact,” the editorial states, “it’s apparent her age has given her a sense of urgency to do big things for her constituents and her country.”
The tabloid daily paper noted that most of the candidates in the 10th District contest are “solidly progressive Democrats” who support abortion, stronger gun control, taxing the rich and corporations and safeguarding American democracy, expanding the U.S. Supreme Court and combating climate change.
The deciding factor for the News was Holtzman’s “experience in checking the abuses of presidents going back to Nixon.” The paper’s editorial warns that, in that same vein, now is a very critical period in which Donald Trump “may be laying the groundwork to seize power no matter who the voters choose.”
Candidate Dan Goldman, who was the lead majority counsel for Trump’s first impeachment, “gets a check” for that work, the News granted, yet sniffed that the first-time candidate “lacks Holtzman’s granular understanding of a broad range of other challenges.”
The News declared Councilmember Carlina Rivera its “runner-up” in the primary election, noting she “helping craft and pass the overdue rezoning of Soho.” However, that accomplishment likely won’t help her win Soho — where residents strongly opposed the rezoning — in the primary election but will instead work against her.
The newspaper also gave mentions to Congressmember Mondaire Jones (“isn’t a bad candidate”) and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon (“knows her Brooklyn district well.”)
Averting an RBG moment by resigning and endorsing Goldman — and signing on as an adviser — is the best of a good situation. 81 and sharp is laudable — but 81 is 81.
Yes!
Yay, Go Liz! A pioneer & proven experience! Guess some are too young to remember or respect Rivera & Rivera debacle linked in her name 4 evah!
The whole redistricting is a nightmare! Our good people being dethroned and made to fight it out. SHAME across town.