The Working Families Party Coordinating Council is scheduled to meet tonight to consider endorsements in a number of key City Council races, as well as the Manhattan DA contest and two borough president races (Staten Island and Manhattan).
The council will be taking up the recommendations made by the screening committees that met on May 15. It requires a 2/3 vote to overturn a committee recommendation.
The full list of endorsements being considered this evening (provided by a plugged-in reader) appears after the jump. Some highlights:
- Richard Aborn for Manhattan DA. (This would be a coup for Aborn, who has been trying to cast himself as the most progressive candidate in the three-person race to fill the seat of retiring DA Robert Morgenthau - a strategy clearly intended to target the left-of-center types who tend to turn out in a Democratic primary).
- The party is considering backing five challengers to incumbents, including:
Danny Dromm against Councilwoman Helen Sears in the 25th CD, Maritza Davila against Councilwoman Diana Reyna in the 34th CD, Mark Winston-Griffith against Councilman Al Vann in the 36th CD, Jumaane Williams against Councilman Kendall Stewart in the 45th CD and Frank Gulluscio against Republican Councilman Eric Ulrich in the 32nd CD.
In the hotly-contested races for the few seats opening this fall, the party is considering:
- James Van Bramer for the 26th CD seat being vacated by Councilman/public advocate candidate Eric Gioia.
- Lynn Schulman for the 29th CD seat being vacated by Councilwoman/comptroller candidate Melinda Katz.
- Steve Levin for the 33rd CD seat being vacated by Councilman/comptroller candidate David Yassky.
- Assemblyman Mark Weprin for the 23rd CD seat being vacated by his brother, Councilman/comptroller candidate David Weprin.
- No endorsement in the case of two incumbents: Councilman Tom White (28th CD) and Councilman Miguel Martinez (10th CD).
It's so far unclear what the WFP is going to do in the 49th CD where Councilman Ken Mitchell is trying to defend the seat he narrowly won in a February special election. Debi Rose, who was backed by the party the last time around and came close to beating Mitchell, has said she's interested in running again.
WFP leaders will also be discussing the mayor's race this evening, but are not expected to make a decision about an endorsement for several weeks.
The party has already made a few early endorsements, including: Councilman John Liu for comptroller, Councilman Bill de Blasio for public advocate and Brad Lander for the seat de Blasio is vacating.
UPDATE: Another WFP endorsement: S.J. Jung for Liu's soon-to-be-empty seat.
Office District Incumbent County RECOMMENDATION
Manhattan DA (open) Manhattan Richard Aborn
City Council 25 Helen Sears Queens Danny Dromm
City Council 26 (open) Queens James Van Bramer
City Council 28 Thomas White Queens No Endorsement
City Council 29 (open) Queens Lynn Schulman
City Council 33 (Open) Brooklyn Steve Levin
City Council 34 Diana Reyna Brooklyn Maritza DaVilla
City Council 36 Al Vann Brooklyn Mark Winston-Griffith
City Council 9 Inez Dickens Manhattan Inez Dickens
City Council 10 Miguel Martinez Manhattan No Endorsement
City Council 45 Kendall Stewart Brooklyn Jumaane Williams
Borough President Scott Stringer Manhattan Scott Stringer
Borough President James Molinaro Staten Island John Luisi
City Council 2 Rosie Mendez Manhattan Rosie Mendez
City Council 4 Dan Garodnick Manhattan Dan Garodnick
City Council 5 Jessica Lappin Manhattan Jessica Lappin
City Council 6 Gale Brewer Manhattan Gale Brewer
City Council 7 Robert Jackson Manhattan Robert Jackson
City Council 8 Melissa Mark Viverito Manhattan Melissa Mark Viverito
City Council 11 Oliver Kopppell Bronx Oliver Koppell
City Council 15 Joel Rivera Bronx Joel Rivera
City Council 16 Helen Foster Bronx Helen D. Foster
City Council 18 Annabel Palma Bronx Annabel Palma
City Council 21 Julissa Ferreras Queens Julissa Ferreras
City Council 23 (open) Queens Mark Weprin
City Council 24 James Gennaro Queens James Gennaro
City Council 27 Leroy Comrie Queens Leroy Comrie
City Council 30 Elizabeth Crowley Queens Elizabeth Crowley
City Council 32 Eric Ulrich Queens Frank Gulluscio
City Council 35 Tish James Brooklyn Tish James
City Council 40 Mathieu Eugene Brooklyn Mathieu Eugene
City Council 42 Charles Braron Brooklyn Charles Barron
