Gotham Gazette

The Place for New York Policy and politics

Mayor 2021

Mayor 2021

  • WATCH: Democratic Mayoral Candidates Talk NYCHA, Housing, and Homelessness

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    Top (l-r): Eric Adams, Shaun Donovan, Kathryn Garcia, Carlos Menchaca
    Bottom (l-r): Dianne Morales, Scott Stringer, Joycelyn Taylor, Maya Wiley


    Eight Democratic candidates for New York City mayor running in the June 2021 primary appeared by Zoom on Saturday to discuss public housing, private housing, homelessness, and the issues and policies that connect them all. The candidates offered their thoughts on current policies, offered their ideas for the future, and discussed what they would do if they were mayor today. Participants were Carlos Menchaca, Eric Adams, Dianne Morales,

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  • Ray McGuire Launches Campaign for Mayor of New York City

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    Ray McGuire (photo: Ray McGuire for Mayor)


    Ray McGuire, a top Wall Street executive who recently left his job to explore a run for Mayor of New York City, launched his 2021 campaign on Wednesday in a video released online and narrated by famed New York filmmaker Spike Lee. 

    McGuire, 63, previously served as vice chair of Citigroup, the global banking giant, and was one of the highest-ranking Black executives in an industry dominated by white men. He left the position in mid-October to lay the groundwork for a campaign to replace Mayor

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: Eric Adams Launches His Campaign for Mayor

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    Eric Adams (photo: Erica Sherman/Brooklyn BP's Office)


    November 24, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Eric Adams Launches His Campaign for Mayor

    Eric Adams, now officially a candidate for mayor of New York City in the 2021 election, joined the show to discuss why he's running, what he brings to the race, and how he would govern.

    Listen to the conversation and let us know what you think -- we're on Twitter @TweetBenMaxand @JarrettMurphy. You can listen to

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  • Dianne Morales Officially Launches Campaign for Mayor of New York City

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    Dianne Morales (photo via Morales campaign)


    More than a year ago Dianne Morales left her job running a social services nonprofit in order to run for mayor of New York City. On Thursday evening, she officially launched her campaign seeking the Democratic nomination in the primary set for June of 2021.

    A first-time candidate for office, Morales believes her combination of lived experience and executive experience and vision for rebuilding the city anew with greater social and economic justice will help her appeal to voters looking for a non-traditional type of candidate.

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  • Democratic Mayoral Candidates Talk Public Safety at Brooklyn Forum

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    l-r: (top) Eric Adams, Shaun Donovan, Kathryn Garcia, Carlos Menchaca, (bottom) Dianne Morales, Scott Stringer, Loree Sutton, Maya Wiley


    Eight Democratic candidates for New York City mayor gathered Tuesday night for another candidate forum in the early phase of the campaign, which will culminate with a June primary and fall 2021 general election. The online forum, hosted by the Central Brooklyn Political Action Association, focused on “The Future of Public Safety” and was moderated by Dr. Christina Pardo and Greg Albro, co-chair of the New York Progressive Action Network.

    The eight

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  • Eric Adams Officially Launches Campaign for New York City Mayor

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    Eric Adams (photo: Erica Sherman/Brooklyn BP's Office)


    After years of laying the groundwork, Eric Adams, a Democrat serving his second and final term as Brooklyn Borough President, on Wednesday officially launched his campaign to run for mayor of New York City in the 2021 election.

    Adams is the latest entrant in a crowded and growing Democratic primary but has a fundraising advantage, prominent allies, a solid political base, and a record of public service that make him an apparent frontrunner in the race.

    “People talk about the tale of two cities but we

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  • Mayoral Candidates Pitch Their Resumes and Values to the West Side Democrats

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     l-r: (top) Eric Adams, Shaun Donovan, Kathryn Garcia, Carlos Menchaca, (bottom) Dianne Morales, Scott Stringer, Loree Sutton, Maya Wiley


    With the 2020 elections over -- but for the counting of absentee ballots across the city and state -- greater attention is turning to New York City’s 2021 local elections, including an increasingly-crowded race for mayor. The first candidate forum of the 2021 cycle was held by the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club last month,

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: Zach Iscol is Running for Mayor

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    Zach Iscol (photo: Iscol campaign)


    November 11, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Zach Iscol is Running for Mayor

    Military veteran Zach Iscol is running in the Democratic primary for mayor set to take place in June 2021. He joined the show do discuss his resume, why he's running for mayor, and his vision for the city.

    Listen to the conversation and let us know what you think -- we're on Twitter @TweetBenMaxand @JarrettMurphy. You can

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: Carlos Menchaca on His Campaign for Mayor

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    City Council Member Carlos Menchaca (photo: John McCarten/City Council)


    November 11, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Carlos Menchaca Launches a Campaign for Mayor

    City Council Member Carlos Menchaca, who represents parts of Brooklyn, is running for mayor in the June 2021 Democratic primary. He joined the show to discuss why he's running, his vision for the city, and what sets him apart from the field.

    Listen to the conversation and let us know what you think -- we're on Twitter ...

  • Carlos Menchaca Announces Candidacy for Mayor

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    Carlos Menchaca (photo: Jeff Reed/City Council)


    Carlos Menchaca, a City Council member from Brooklyn, is running for mayor, making his announcement official on Thursday morning and entering the growing Democratic primary field. Known for his focus on immigrant communities, the term-limited Menchaca enters the 2021 race while representing neighborhoods including Sunset Park and Red Hook after unseating an incumbent in the 2013 election and holding his seat against several challengers in 2017.

    He’s become a steadfast critic of Mayor Bill de Blasio, arguing the mayor has not lived

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  • Democratic Mayoral Hopefuls Appear at First Candidate Forum of 2021 Race

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    l-r: Eric Adams, Kathryn Garcia, Shaun Donovan,  Dianne Morales, Scott Stringer, Carlos Menchaca, Maya Wiley


    The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, which bills itself as the progressive LGBTQ political club, hosted the first forum for the 2021 New York City mayoral election Tuesday night, inviting seven declared or exploring Democratic candidates to participate. The Democratic and Republican primaries for mayor will take place in June of next year.

    Participating candidates -- who appeared one at a time by Zoom, giving brief opening

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  • Maya Wiley Announces Campaign for New York City Mayor

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    Maya Wiley at City Hall (photo: Rob Bennett/mayor's office)


    Maya Wiley, a civil rights attorney and former counsel to Mayor Bill de Blasio, is running to succeed the term-limited de Blasio as mayor of New York City in the 2021 election.

    Wiley, a Democrat, officially announced her campaign in a video posted online Wednesday evening, which will be followed by a launch event outside the Brooklyn Museum on Thursday. In the video, Wiley

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  • Advice for the Next Mayor from a Veteran of the City Hall Trenches

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    State of the City 2020 (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)


    New York City is at a crossroads. As our response cautiously shifts to recovery, we will have an equally important responsibility to reimagine the promise of the greatest city in the world. While Bill de Blasio has a year to jumpstart that progress, it will largely fall to the next mayor to make it happen.

    I helped grind the gears of City Hall for three years under this administration. I saw a lot that worked and a lot that didn’t. With the 2021 mayoral race quickly taking shape,

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  • 'The City Needs a Crisis Manager': Kathryn Garcia Plots a Run for Mayor

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    Kathryn Garcia (photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)


    Earlier this month, Kathryn Garcia, a top official in Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration, resigned after more than six years as commissioner of the Department of Sanitation. In her time serving under the mayor, Garcia has worn many hats beyond that of keeping the city clear of trash and snow. De Blasio entrusted her with leading the city’s effort to abate lead exposure among young children, named her the interim chair and CEO of the struggling New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) for part of 2019, and then appointed

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  • Scott Stringer is Putting Affordable Housing at the Center of His Mayoral Pitch — What's His Vision?

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    Comptroller and mayoral candidate Scott Stringer (photo: @scottmstringer)


    When he officially launched his campaign for mayor earlier this month, Comptroller Scott Stringer took square aim at what he called “the gentrification industrial complex” that he says has flourished in New York City despite Mayor Bill de Blasio’s years-long effort to stem the tide of housing unaffordability. Stringer, a two-term Democrat, has for years examined, audited, and criticized various aspects of the mayor’s housing program, arguing it is not aptly designed to help those most in need of affordable housing,

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: Kathryn Garcia on Trash, Food, & Possibly Running for Mayor

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    Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, middle (photo: Ed Reed/Mayor's Office)


    September 16, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Kathryn Garcia on Trash, Food & Possibly Running for Mayor

    Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, who has been tasked with several other key roles by Mayor Bill de Blasio, is stepping down from her post as she considers jumping into the 2021 Democratic primary for Mayor. She joined the show to discuss her tenure at the Department of Sanitation, her work as interim NYCHA CEO and the "COVID-19 food czar,"

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  • Scott Stringer's Strengths and Weaknesses as He Runs for Mayor

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    Scott Stringer in 2009, with two other officials who ran for mayor (photo: William Alatriste/City Council)


    [This article is part of a series on the leading Democratic mayoral candidates' strengths and weaknesses.]

    After years of working his way up through the hierarchy of elected office in New York, and one aborted run for mayor, Comptroller Scott Stringer this past week declared himself a candidate for the highest office in New York City in the 2021 election.

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  • Promising 'Leadership at City Hall,' Scott Stringer Officially Launches 2021 Mayoral Campaign

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    Scott Stringer launches his 2021 mayoral campaign


    Comptroller Scott Stringer, a term-limited Democrat, officially launched his campaign to run for mayor on Tuesday, seeking to replace outgoing Mayor Bill de Blasio in what is expected to be a hard-fought contest that has drawn more than a dozen exploring or declared candidates so far.  

    Stringer, a Manhattanite serving his second term as the city’s top fiscal officer, pledged to “bring leadership back to City Hall” and centered his campaign pitch on fighting inequality, much like de Blasio had

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  • Shaun Donovan Makes Federal Experience Focus of 2021 Mayoral Message

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    Then HUD-Secretary Shaun Donovan, center, with Mayor Bloomberg and Senator Schumer (photo: Spencer T Tucker/mayor's office)


    While he has not officially announced a campaign for New York City Mayor, Shaun Donovan is certainly talking like a candidate, explaining his rationale for running, comparing himself to the rest of the Democratic field, and outlining some of his vision for the city. With just ten months until the all-important June 2021 primary, Donovan recently showed a large initial fundraising haul and is beginning to make public appearances, including ...

  • After a Step Back, Corey Johnson Reemerges

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    Speaker Corey Johnson (photo: Jeff Reed/City Council)


    When the coronavirus pandemic hit New York and the mayor vacillated before closing schools and imposing social distancing guidelines and restrictions on large gatherings, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson beat him to the punch in calling for all three. The Council speaker, a Manhattan Democrat and likely 2021 mayoral candidate, made regular appearances on local TV and radio, and tweeted constantly from his

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  • 'I Actually Have to Negotiate a Budget': Corey Johnson and the Challenge of Running for Mayor as City Council Speaker

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    Corey Johnson, with Bill de Blasio watching (photo: John McCarten/City Council)


    Speakers of the New York City Council don’t fare well when running for citywide office. Melissa Mark-Viverito, who previously held the job, was unsuccessful in a crowded 2019 special election for public advocate. Christine Quinn, the speaker before her, placed third in the 2013 Democratic mayoral primary that saw Bill de Blasio advance toward the mayoralty. Gifford Miller, Quinn’s predecessor, similarly lost in the 2005 Democratic mayoral primary to Fernando Ferrer, and Peter

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  • Can Shaun Donovan Win the 2021 Mayor's Race? Campaign Pitch Charts Path

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    Shaun Donovan (photo: Shaun Donovan for NYC)


    As the 2021 mayoral election begins to heat up, with rumors of more candidates jumping into an incredibly consequential race, former Obama and Bloomberg aide Shaun Donovan’s campaign is making a confident pitch to potential supporters and donors that he has a viable path to victory.

    While Donovan, a Brooklyn native with a long history as a public servant but never in elected office, has not officially declared his candidacy, he’s been taking many of the essential steps toward launching a run.

    If he does run, one challenge will

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: One Year to the 2021 Mayoral Primary

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    (photo: Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photo Office)


    June 24, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: One Year to the 2021 Mayoral Primary

    Political strategists Rebecca Katz of New Deal Strategies and Neal Kwatra of Metropolitan Strategies joined the show to discuss some of the initial results of 2020 primaries in New York and to look ahead to the 2021 mayoral primary, which is just one year away. Katz, fresh off helping to lead Jamaal Bowman to an upset win the New York's 16th Congressional District primary over Rep. Eliot Engel, broke

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  • The 2021 New York City Mayoral Race, One Year to the Primary

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    City Hall on inauguration day (photo: mayor's office)


    It’s election day, and all eyes on the 2020 party primaries in New York, though the results won’t be clear for at least one week. But one year from now, New Yorkers will cast their ballots in another primary election, one that will likely determine the slate of leadership of New York City for the next four years, including the next mayor. With Mayor Bill de Blasio term-limited, the stage is set for a fierce competition, which may not really take off until just after this year’s presidential election but

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  • Where the 2021 Mayoral Candidates Stand on Removing School Safety from the NYPD's Domain

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    Police in schools (photo: Edwin J. Torres/Mayor's Office)


    As the City Council is pushing to cut $1 billion from the NYPD’s $6 billion budget for next fiscal year, City Council Members Mark Treyger and Donovan Richards have proposed revoking the police’s role in school safety and restoring it to the Department of Education. The proposal has been a top priority for some police reform and education activists for years and has taken on renewed urgency in the wake of the countrywide protests following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

    Though Mayor

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