Chalk another one up for Dianne Morales.
On Monday the former nonprofit executive, who has staked out the left flank of the mayor’s race, was endorsed in the June 22 primary election by the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club.
The progressive L.G.B.T.Q. Democratic club also endorsed Jumaane Williams, who is running unopposed, for reelection as public advocate, Corey Johnson for comptroller and Tahanie Aboushi for Manhattan district attorney.
The club deemed Morales “clearly the most progressive” candidate in the race.
“The club interviewed eight candidates at its endorsement meetings on May 1 and at its mayoral forum in October,” said Jim Owles President Allen Roskoff. “The club endorsed Morales as clearly the most progressive candidate running for mayor and a strong outspoken advocate for the L.G.B.T.Q. community.
“She shared with us her inspiring vision of a more equitable city,” Roskoff continued, “along with a stirring empathy and concern for economic justice for disadvantaged communities too often ignored in the past. She sees eye to eye with our club on issues of concern to us, and we are eager to help elect her so that she can work on behalf of all of the city’s diverse communities.”
The club has been asking all candidates it interviews if they support stripping former Mayor Ed Koch’s name off of the 59th St. Bridge. Only Scott Stringer, another candidate for mayor, said he opposes the idea.
“The club continues to encourage all candidates we meet to support removing the name of former Mayor Ed Koch from the 59th St. Bridge,” Roskoff said. “Practically everyone we have interviewed shared our view that this honor is unmerited for a mayor who stood idly by while the AIDS holocaust devastated gay New Yorkers and other marginalized communities, and who routinely ignored and insulted the city’s people of color. Of those we interviewed or who responded to our questionnaire for mayor, comptroller, public advocate and district attorney, all supported removing Ed Koch’s name from the 59th St. Bridge. Andrew Yang is open to removing his name and pledges to work with advocates on the removal. Scott Stringer is the sole candidate against it.”
On the comptroller’s race, Roskoff said, “Our club members were impressed with all four of the candidates we interviewed, but Speaker Johnson was the clear standout. If elected, he would be the highest-ranking openly gay man in in the history of New York City government, and would give our community a seat at the table when important decisions about our city are made. One of the major goals of the club is to elect progressive members of the community and amplify the community’s voice. He has done a spectacular job as Council Speaker, and we could not be prouder to embrace one of our own with this endorsement.”
In the hotly contested election for Manhattan district attorney, Jim Owles threw its support behind civil-rights attorney and activist Aboushi.
“There were several other strong progressive candidates who would be effective district attorneys for Manhattan, but Aboushi won our support over her competitors,” Roskoff said. “She is an inspiring leader who would transform the District Attorney’s Office into a dynamic force for systemic change. She would prioritize alternatives to incarceration rather than pursue a single-minded focus on prosecution.”
The club made previous endorsements in March and April, including Brad Hoylman for Manhattan borough president, Jenny Low, Carlina Rivera, Erik Bottcher, Keith Powers and Julie Menin, respectively, in Council Districts 1 through 5, plus Kim Parker and Jeffrey Zellan for Manhattan countywide Civil Court judge, Edward Irizarry for Manhattan District 2 Civil Court judge, and Arthur Schwartz for Greenwich Village Democratic district leader.
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