A recent Huffington Post story referred to the NY state primary coming up this Thursday as “the most important election until the November midterms.” I agree with this sentiment, not because I feel that elections happening elsewhere in the country aren’t also important, but because 1) NY state must be the firewall against Trump administration and Trump family crimes in the face of Washington dysfunction and 2) there is a real opening to manifest progressive, reformist change within the party. With this in mind, I encourage all NY voters to join me in supporting Cynthia Nixon, Jumaane Williams, and Zephyr Teachout.
It is notoriously difficult for reformers to mount primary campaigns in NY state. They are faced at every turn with punitive electoral laws that are designed to favor the party establishment and make it difficult for challengers without establishment support to even get on the ballot in the first place. This primary is different due to a combination of factors, including the long organizing effort to replace IDC state senators with real democrats, new campaign strategies to ‘change the electorate’ by getting reform and progressive-minded voters to the polls in what are always low-turnout events, and a slate of unified, high-quality progressive candidates. Cynicism is often a reasonable response to the state of NY politics, but this election cycle presents a real opening for change — we should all do everything we can to make that change a reality.
I thought long and hard about supporting Cynthia Nixon for governor. I think the arguments about the importance of understanding the system and how helpful having previously held political office can be are valid points. However, my concerns about experience have been overwhelmed by the serious and ambitious proposals that Nixon has put forward (for me, I am especially concerned about rent regulation laws and her platform on these issues is the strongest and most detailed one I have read from any candidate, ever) and the able way she has conducted her campaign and built alliances with people and organizations all over the state. At the same time, Andrew Cuomo has clearly not learned the lessons he should have from the progressive uprising that is happening in NY state (and helped elected Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) — he still refuses to fully back single-payer healthcare (which has a real chance at passing the legislature next session if Democrats take back the senate), he still prioritizes petty fights with Mayor de Blasio over actually fixing the MTA, he still refuses to enact sweeping taxes on the wealthy to fund the progressive programs that NYers need and deserve, and he still refuses to grapple with the systemic corruption that undermines every function of state government in NY. Even if Cynthia doesn’t win, a strong showing for her in the polls will show Cuomo that he needs to tend to his left flank and stop worrying about millionaires and big corporations if he wants to have a political future.
As a resident of New York City and someone who is involved in grassroots and community activism, Jumaane Williams is no stranger to me. He is one of the rare public officials who shows up to protests, rallies, and organizational meetings not just to do a photo op or to drum up political support, but to share in the work of social justice organizing and activism. As a city council member, he has shown admirable independence in a city hall system that can be rigidly punitive to anyone who steps out of line — recently he broke with long-standing (unofficial) council policy by opposing a developer-backed rezoning proposal of the Upper Manhattan neighborhood of Inwood even though it was supported by the local councilmember. He refuses to kowtow to the norms of political back-scratching to advance his career and instead remains true to his activist roots. He has the potential to be a powerful voice for progressive values and political reform in Albany and to turn what is often a do-nothing job into a platform for social justice.
There couldn’t be a better candidate for NY Attorney General at this moment in history than Zephyr Teachout. Her lauded career as a legal expert on political corruption perfectly suits her to serve as NYAG at a time when that office will serve as the last defense against the Trump administration and business interests and its enablers in the Republican congress in Washington. The NY AG is so incredibly important because of the large number of major corporations that fall under its jurisdiction and its capability to act as the ‘sheriff of Wall Street.’ This is even more true with Trump in the White House. As an outsider to the traditional political system, Teachout will not be bogged down by past associations with the cabal of wealthy industries, rich people, and political dynasties that threaten the independence of more traditional candidates. This is especially important in relationship to Trump, whose family’s involvement in NY politics on both sides of the aisle stretches back to his father’s early days as a developer. The next Attorney General is going to be functioning in extremely chaotic times with very high stakes. Teachout’s combination of independence and expertise are vital to the wellbeing of our state and the country.
While some might dismiss some of these candidates as “long shots,” I think we all need to be wary of such analyses. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s election proved that it is possible for progressive organizing to overwhelm the machine politics of a bygone era. It takes hard work and serious organizing, and that’s what these candidates have done. What is needed now is for reform-minded progressives across NY state to shed their cynicism, get out to vote for their ideals on Thursday, and to get involved with the GOTV operations of our progressive candidates between now and Thursday. Primary elections always have a low turnout and the effort we put in to help progressive candidates WILL BE the difference between winning and losing on Thursday. Join me in working for reform, working for progressive values, and working for the change we need!
See you at the polls on Thursday and on the street between now and then!
P.S. Primary challengers against state senators who were members of the IDC are also incredibly important in this election. I live in an IDC district and have been volunteering for the ‘real Democratic’ challenger who is running against my state senator. This is a great organization that is coordinating efforts to remove IDC senators across the state. See if your senator is on the list, and what you can do to help take them out for the betrayal of their Democratic constituents: www.noidcny.org
