As New York’s primary election approaches, the race for Brooklyn Borough President is heating up — at least on one side of the aisle.
Two candidates are currently running for the Democratic June 24 primary, hoping to earn a spot on the November general election ballot. Incumbent Borough President Antonio Reynoso — a lifelong Brooklynite and former City Council member — is facing a challenge from Khari Edwards, a community advocate and past candidate for the same office.
Meet the candidates
Antonio Reynoso
Incumbent Brooklyn Borough President
A lifelong Brooklynite and former City Council member, Antonio Reynoso has held the borough’s top office since 2022. During his first term, he has prioritized public health equity, affordable housing and improving maternal health care — particularly in underserved neighborhoods.
His administration has provided asylum work authorization assistance, fought food insecurity, and directed millions of dollars in capital funding to community spaces and nonprofit organizations, along with $45 million dedicated specifically to maternal health care services for Brooklyn’s diverse communities.
“I’m running for re-election because the work I’ve started is far from finished. I ran on the promise of creating ‘a Brooklyn for all’ and I remain committed to that vision,” Reynoso said on his campaign website. “That means delivering affordable housing, improving health outcomes, fighting food insecurity, and expanding alternatives to incarceration. I know many feel disillusioned with politics, but I want them to know I am serious about delivering real change and building a more just, livable Brooklyn.”
Reynoso is backed by a wide range of supporters, including Reps. Nydia Velázquez and Dan Goldman, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and groups like the Working Families Party and New York Communities for Change.
He’s endorsed by over a dozen City Council members and state lawmakers, along with major labor unions such as SEIU 32BJ, CWA 1180, and the New York State Nurses Association. Advocacy groups like the League of Conservation Voters and Planned Parenthood Votes PAC are also in his corner.
Khari Edwards
Community advocate and nonprofit executive
Khari Edwards, who ran for Brooklyn Borough President in 2021, is back in the race with a platform focused on public safety, economic development and equitable community investment. A lifelong Brooklyn resident currently living in Crown Heights, Edwards is the son of immigrant parents and immigrated from Trinidad as a child.
With a 25-year career in public service, he has held leadership roles at Brookdale Hospital and Ayr Wellness, where he developed initiatives to expand healthcare access, promote job training, and address health disparities affecting more than 1.3 million Brooklynites. He also founded the It Starts Here program, which connects students with gun violence survivors and mobilizes community action to combat inequality.
“The bottom line is that our communities have an inequitable distribution of resources, funding, and compassion. We need to ensure that Brownsville feels the same level of investment and attention as Park Slope,” Edwards wrote on his campaign website. “That East New York feels as supported as Williamsburg. That Flatbush feels like their issues are being heard just as much as Cobble Hill. Inequality continues to grow at a rapid pace. We need a BP that can look holistically at the issues affecting every corner of the borough and allocate and advocate for resources that will rebuild our communities.”
Edwards’ campaign has gained the support of elected officials and grassroots groups across the borough, particularly in Central and Southern Brooklyn. He’s backed by Assemblymember Latrice Walker, district leader Stefani Zinerman, and political clubs like the Shirley Chisholm Democratic Club and the Southern Brooklyn Democrats.
He has also earned the endorsement of DC37, New York City’s largest public employee union, boosting his support among municipal workers.
New York’s primary election will be held Tuesday, June 24, with early voting scheduled from June 14 to June 22. To find your polling site, visit vote.nyc.
The winners of each party’s primary will advance to the general election on Nov. 4. The winner of this race will face off against Republican Janine Acquafredda, a real estate broker, as well as third-party candidate Wayne Chang, Jr. of the Freedom Party.
This roundup is part of an ongoing series. Check back for more information on candidates in competitive races across Brooklyn.
