Eelected officials from the Bronx and Harlem are backing Councilman Mark Levine in his pursuit to succeed Gale Brewer as the next Manhattan borough president with four months to go before the Democratic primary in June.
Term limited out of his current seat covering of Morningside Heights, West Harlem, Washington Heights, and part of the Upper West Side, Levine is expected to formally receive the endorsements of Congressman Adriano Espaillat, Councilwoman Diana Ayala, Assemblywoman Carmen De La Rosa and Assemblyman Al Taylor on Monday.
“From the first moment in the pandemic, Mark Levine responded swiftly and intelligently, ensuring that resources were being efficiently deployed, while raising awareness and solutions to keep New Yorkers safe as the crisis unraveled. From equitable access to COVID-19 testing, prevention strategies, hospital capacity, support and resources for New Yorkers and most recently, vaccine distribution, he has shown remarkable leadership when our community needed him most. I am proud to endorse him for Borough President,” Espaillat said.
While Levine leads the other candidates in the field for Manhattan BP in funding, other big names in the race include Lindsey Boylan who recently came out against Governor Andrew Cuomo with sexual misconduct allegations, state Senator Brad Hoylman, Councilman Ben Kallos, as well as Kimberly Watkins of Community Education Council 3 and former chair of Community Board 7 Elizabeth Caputo.
“As a Washington Heights, Upper Manhattan resident, I feel humbled and grateful for the support of the community that is my home. There are difficult times ahead as the city grapples with recovery and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but together we can make sure that Manhattan and all of NYC will come back stronger and better,” Levine said.
Gale Brewer is currently running for her old council seat currently occupied by Helen Rosenthal in the Upper West Side.
