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Working Families Party

Working Families Party

  • Loosely Allied with Hochul, Working Families Party Again Tries to Meet Higher Threshold to Keep Ballot Line

    Democrats rallying (photo: @PatRyanUC)


    UPDATE: On election night, results showed the Working Families Party achieve enough votes on its ballot line for Kathy Hochul to retain its political party status and ballot line in upcoming elections. In response to the New York gubernatorial election results, Director of the New York Working Families Party Sochie Nnaemeka released the following celebratory statement:

    “The Working Families Party is proud to have secured more than enough votes to maintain our ballot line and continue fighting for working New Yorkers. Our grassroots volunteers mobilized voters from

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  • Max Politics Podcast: The Working Families Party Works to Keep Its Ballot Line, Win Key Races

    Sochie Nnaemeka (photo: @MaketheRoadAct)


    October 26, 2022 - Max Politics Podcast: The Working Families Party Works to Keep Its Ballot Line, Win Key Races

    Sochie Nnaemeka, director of the New York Working Families Party, joined the show to discuss the WFP's campaign to keep its ballot line, key races it is focused on in the 2022 election, its relationship with Gov. Kathy Hochul, and more.

    Listen to the conversation and let us know what you think, on Twitter @TweetBenMax. You can listen to the show through the

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  • Several Significant Wins and One Big Loss for Working Families Party in Latest New York Primaries

    The Working Families Party in Queens (photo: @NYWFP)


    The results of the August party primary elections for the U.S. House of Representatives and State Senate were bittersweet for the New York Working Families Party, the progressive third party that seeks to push Democrats to the left. The WFP is one of the most prominent actors in the intra-party battle Democrats continue to wage in New York and beyond.

    Several WFP-backed Democratic incumbents who faced competitive challenges emerged victorious in their primary races. Other endorsed candidates won primaries for open seats, likely adding to the ranks

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  • Congressional Race in Its Base a Big Test for Working Families Party

    Yuh-Line Niou with WFP volunteers campaigning in BK (photo: @bkswjennie)


    The New York Working Families Party is no stranger to big fights and it is facing one of its most intense campaign battles in this month’s Democratic primary in the new 10th Congressional District of New York. With six prominent candidates and more than a dozen Democrats on the ballot, the Working Families Party’s influence and organizing power is being put to the test as it hopes to propel its endorsee, Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou, to victory.

    The WFP experienced several defeats and few victories in the June

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  • New York Left Hits Wall in Primaries, Points to Reasons for Optimism

    Jumaane Williams (photo: John McCarten/City Coucnil)


    Last month’s primary election was a disappointing one for progressive Democrats in New York, as statewide and Assembly candidates lost to incumbents across the board with few consolation victories. It was a markedly different election than four years ago, when a progressive wave shifted the political landscape, contributed to a Democratic takeover of the State Senate, and helped deliver a long list of liberal policy priorities at the state level.

    But even as progressives had an especially disappointing set of primaries, including in

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  • Slate of Insurgent Candidates Focused on Climate Seizes on Failure of State Bill

    Climate march (photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)


    The Democrat-led state Legislature ended its session over the weekend without passing any additional major pieces of climate-related legislation that some legislators and activists had been pushing for months. The failure to act has provided renewed vigor to several candidates running in the primaries this year who had already been centering climate action in their campaigns, many of them challenging incumbent Democrats.

    They say that the state must take immediate and extraordinary action as the adverse effects of climate change continue

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  • How The Left is Hoping to Reshape the New York City Council

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    Working Families Party endorsements for City Council


    In the wake of the pandemic, New Yorkers are either clamoring for normalcy or restless for change, depending on who’s telling the story. A tide of progressive candidates and their allies have been betting on the latter, working to move the New York City Council leftward with a large slate of formidable campaigns competing in this year’s elections.

    All of city government is on the ballot this year. Voting finished Tuesday in the all-important primary elections for mayor, comptroller, public

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  • New York's Activist Left and Organized Labor Begin Choosing Their Next City Council Class

    City Council chambers City Hall

    The City Council chambers (photo: William Alatriste)


    With 31 members facing term-limits and with special elections slated to fill five recent vacancies, it is set to be a transformative year for the New York City Council. City politics have undergone a dynamic shift since the last class of Council members was seated after the 2017 municipal election, and activists and organized labor are hoping to take advantage of that fact in announcing their support for a new crop of Council contenders.

    Almost every “open” City Council seat where no

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  • How New York's Smaller Political Parties are Faring at Meeting New Ballot Thresholds

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    Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez & NYWFP Director Sochie Nnaemeka (photo: @AOC)


    Many of New York’s smaller political parties face an uncertain future after they appear to have failed to garner enough votes to keep an automatic ballot line over the next two years under new rules that went into effect in this election cycle. Only the Working Families Party and the Conservative Party seem to have emerged unscathed, rallying voters to meet new thresholds through votes for their presidential and vice presidential nominees. 

    As part of the state budget, the Legislature and

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: Phara Souffrant Forrest on Her Campaign for Assembly

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    Phara Souffrant Forrest (photo: Phara for Assembly)


    October 21, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Phara Souffrant Forrest on Her Campaign for Assembly

    Phara Souffrant Forrest, a candidate for State Assembly in Brooklyn, joined the show to discuss her Democratic primary win over incumbent Walter Mosley, her platform, why the general election is being contested, the rise of the Democratic Socialists of America in New York City, and more.

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

  • How to Vote Biden-Harris and Protect Progressive Power in New York

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    The Working Families Party's survival is on the ballot (photo: Kevin P. Coughlin/Governor's Office)


    When we each ran for State Senate, the Democratic establishment supported our opponents — but the Working Families Party had our backs. That’s because for over 20 years, the WFP has stood up for working people’s champions running for the New York state Legislature and fought for true progressive power in Albany. So it’s no surprise that Governor Cuomo and the corporate

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: The Working Families Party's Big Primary Wins

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    Sochie Nnaemeka of the NY WFP (photo: @sochiesays)


    August 5, 2020 - Max & Murphy Podcast: Sochie Nnaemeka on the Working Families Party's Big Wins & Future Challenges

    Sochie Nnaemeka, director of the New York Working Families Party, joined the show to discuss the party's endorsements and successes in the 2020 New York primaries, and what comes next.

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

  • How a Big Brooklyn Upset Unfolded

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    Emily Gallagher with campaign supporters (photo: @em4assembly)


    Community activist Emily Gallagher ran a successful insurgent Democratic primary campaign like few others: one with no endorsements from elected officials, no support from ascendent lefitist groups the Working Families Party or New York City branch of the Democratic Socialists of America, and relatively little money compared to her opponent, a 47-year incumbent State Assembly member who had not even faced a primary challenge for a decade.

    Gallagher, who has lived in North Brooklyn’s Assembly

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  • Wins Pile Up for the New York Left

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    Phara Souffrant Forrest (photo: @phara4assembly)


    Leftist organizations like the Working Families Party and New York City branch of the Democratic Socialists of America are piling up wins in the June primaries, with absentee ballot counting near an end and a wide array of candidates they supported — many of whom are challengers to incumbents — on the verge of winning seats in Congress and the New York State Legislature.

    The wins shatter preconceived notions that incumbents are heavily favored to win, conventional wisdom that was deeply

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  • After Strong Primary Showing, Will New Crop of Progressives Push Assembly Democrats Further Left?

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    The State Assembly (photo: @NYSA_Majority)


    For some time, a lack of Democratic control in the New York State Senate prevented progressive legislation from becoming law. But even after the chamber flipped from red to blue through the 2018 elections and a long list of Democratic priorities were acted on, some bills that once passed the State Assembly when Republicans held the Senate are now having trouble reaching that chamber’s floor, leading to frustration that multiple insurgent campaigns capitalized on in this year’s primary

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  • Jabari Brisport, Democratic Socialist on Verge of Upset Primary Win in Brooklyn, Eyes Journey to Albany

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    Jabari Brisport marching (photo: @JabariBrisport)


    This year’s Democratic primary for Brooklyn’s 25th State Senate District mostly flew under the radar, but was one of the most interesting races in the city, with an energetic activist and teacher, Jabari Brisport, backed by the Working Families and Democratic Socialist of America-New York City, taking on Assemblymember Tremaine Wright, whose district overlaps with part of the Senate district and who had the backing of the retiring senator, Velmanette Montgomery, among many others in the political

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  • New York's Smaller Political Parties Must Quickly Meet New Ballot Thresholds

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    Gov. Cuomo appears interested in seeing the demise of New York's smaller political parties (photo: New York Democratic Party)


    Included in the bills to approve a state budget for the new fiscal year beginning April 1 was the creation of a new campaign finance system with a public-matching program, lower individual contribution limits, and various other changes to campaign finance law. But the controversial inclusion of changes to ballot thresholds could prove to be a poison pill, not for the law but for the several minor political parties

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  • Previously Struck Down in Court, New State Campaign Finance System and Political Party Ballot Thresholds Passed in Budget

    Cuomo Heastie Stewart-Cousins

    State government leaders Stewart-Cousins, Cuomo, Heastie (photo: The Governor's Office)


    A new state campaign finance system, with public matching money for candidates who choose to participate and lower individual contribution limits, will be enshrined in law through inclusion in the new state budget. It is accompanied by new and highly-controversial ballot-threshold requirements for political parties.

    Using a modified system due to the coronavirus outbreak, the state Legislature voted through various budget bills on Tuesday and

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  • Rolling Back Bail Reform Amid Coronavirus Outbreak Would Be Additionally Irresponsible

    sochie bail reform

    Sochie Nnaemeka, the author (photo: @sochiesays)


    In moments of crisis, we see what our leaders value. Over the past week, coronavirus has spread to Rikers Island. Our state should be focused on keeping detained New Yorkers and correctional workers safe and healthy. Instead, elected officials may roll back bail reforms in response to fear-mongering by opponents of the new law. If our leaders in Albany choose to reduce the number of people eligible to await their trial from home, the jail population could grow during a dangerous pandemic. We must put human safety over

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  • Judge Strikes Down New State Campaign Finance Law

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    Big decisions to be made in the state capitol (photo: Mike Groll/Governor's Office)


    A State Supreme Court judge in Niagara County struck down the state’s new campaign finance law which was based on the recommendations of a controversial state-created commission that took effect in December. The state Legislature could not give the commission the authority to make binding changes to state law, the judge

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  • Criticism Grows as State Campaign Finance Plans Head Toward Law

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    (photo: governor's office)


    New York State is set to adopt a new electoral campaign finance system, with voluntary participation, lower individual contribution limits, and a new public matching system to amplify small donations. It is based on the recommendations of a state commission, which also raised the threshold for political party ballot access, that will become law unless the state Legislature acts to amend them by Sunday, December 22, which legislative leaders have given no indication they will attempt.

    But while many reform-minded elected

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: State Campaign Finance Reform Takes Shape, with Challenge to Minor Parties

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    (photo: governor's office)


    December 4, 2019 - Max & Murphy Podcast: State Campaign Finance Reform Takes Shape, with Threat to Minor Parties

    jacobs wis wbaiJay Jacobs, chair of the New York Democratic Party and a Governor Cuomo-appointed member of the state campaign finance commission that just finished its work, and Jessica Wisneski of Citizen Action NY and the Working Families Party joined the

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  • State Lawmakers Criticize Campaign Finance Commission Results While Legislative Leaders Stay Mum

    state legislators hearing

    (photo: @FairElectionsNY)


    A state commission charged with creating a system of public financing for state elections has prompted harsh rebukes from several state legislators for proposing what they say is watered down campaign finance reform and for ostensibly advancing a political agenda that targets longtime critics of Governor Andrew Cuomo.

    The New York State Public Campaign Financing Commission was appointed by Cuomo and state legislative leaders after a failure of consensus on overhauling the state’s campaign finance system. It was tasked in

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  • Max & Murphy Podcast: The Future of Fusion Voting in New York

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    (photo: Edwin J. Torres/Mayoral Photo Office)


    September 25, 2019 - Max & Murphy Podcast: The Future of Fusion Voting in New York

    stan fritz wbaiA commission established by Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature is designing a system of public campaign financing for New York, and also considering whether to try to end the practice of fusion voting. Its binding recommendations are due

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  • The 10 Most-Read Gotham Gazette Stories of 2018

    Cuomo Stewart-Cousins Klein

    (photo: The Governor's Office)


    As 2018 comes to a close, we’re looking back at some of our “best” and most-read articles of the year. In a separate post, we’ll highlight some of the “best” pieces we reported that aren’t among our top ten most-read articles, which are listed below. This list does not include articles like election guides or candidate lists or even our summaries of voter turnout numbers, all of which are often among our most-read posts, as was our article that reported on the mayor's charter revision commission

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