Brad Lander took one step ahead of a six-man pack running for City Council by winning the endorsement of the Working Families Party yesterday.
The size of that step depends on how important you consider political endorsements — but the backing of the Working Families Party ensures a sizeable number of ground-level operatives to get out the vote.
“Brad has a consistent record of results on the issues that matter to working families in our community: helping seniors save their homes, giving kids a chance to find their first job, and providing services that our families need,” said Dorothy Siegel, a Cobble Hill resident who chairs the party’s South Brooklyn Club. “He’s independent, progressive, and has the courage to stand up for what’s right.”
Lander, the director of Pratt Center for Community Development, lives in Park Slope.
“I’m honored to have the support of the Working Families Party,” Lander said in a statement. “I’m thrilled to be part of the best progressive team in the state.”
Lander, who was previously endorsed by state Sen. Daniel Squadron (D–Brooklyn Heights), is running against Josh Skaller, Bob Zuckerman, Craig Hammerman, John Heyer, Gary Reilly and former City Councilman Steve DiBrienza for the seat being vacated by Bill DeBlasio.
Just to cover our bases, here’s some other insider baseball news from this race:
• Skaller has been endorsed by Democracy for New York City.
• Zuckerman has been endorsed by a lot of state lawmakers.
• Heyer, who works for Borough President Markowitz, has finally gotten started campaigning. He had two fundraisers — March 9 and 10.
• The Working Families Party endorsement of Lander came on the same day that The Brooklyn Paper called upon DiBrienza to quit the race in the wake of reports that a charity he controls got $1.19 million from the City Council despite little evidence that the charity does anything.
