Last night, Brooklyn voters sent a message.
22 Brooklyn Can’t Wait candidates won their seats — making up a majority of District Leaders in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Democrats went to the polls and demanded a new party — one that delivers a livable, affordable city; that cultivates and supports young, talented candidates and new ideas; that rejects corruption; and that fights for our neighbors.
The self-serving machine politics of the past have failed New Yorkers time and again. It’s time for new party leadership that engages the grassroots and builds strong coalitions to deliver wins for our communities.
The Democratic Party should lead the way in that work, and the Brooklyn Can’t Wait Slate of candidates are already showing how:
In Assembly District 54, City Council Member Sandy Nurse and Alan Gamboa won in coalition with DSA- and WFP-endorsed Assembly Candidate Christian Celeste Tate. They campaigned together to give their neighborhoods the energetic representation that has been missing for too long.
In Assembly District 56, Carmella Charrington and Omar Hardy won their races in partnership with Assembly Candidate Eon Huntley and State Senator Jabari Brisport. Their inspiring activism against deed theft will now inform how the party nominates judicial candidates.
In Assembly District 57, Akwasi Agyeman joined District Leader Shaquana Boykin to run in partnership with Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest, all with the not-so-radical beliefs that life in New York City doesn’t have to be so hard and that elected officials should listen to and deliver for their constituents.
In Assembly District 43, Akel Williams and Nakisha “Nikki” Evans won their races with endorsements from elected officials like State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Andrew Gounardes and City Council Member Crystal Hudson. They won despite desperate attempts by the incumbent leaders to have them kicked off the ballot, and now they’ll help lead a party that works to deliver on issues like childcare, jobs, and housing.
These new District Leaders join a broad coalition of elected allies and grassroots advocates, from Greenpoint to Coney Island, who have fought for years to build a better party in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Can’t Wait for a Democratic Party that meets the moment, and today the wait is over.