SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
New York City mayoral candidate Maya Wiley holds a press conference on June 8, 2021. (Photo: Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Maya Wiley Consolidates Progressive Support in New York City Mayoral Race
"If we don't come together as a movement, we will get a New York City built by and for billionaires," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, among the latest to endorse the civil rights attorney's campaign.
Jun 10, 2021
New York City mayoral candidate Maya Wiley is seeing her poll numbers surge after netting high-profile endorsements in recent days from progressive lawmakers and organizations, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, and the Working Families Party.
After previously struggling to crack the top three in the crowded Democratic primary field, Wiley jumped to second place in the first major poll conducted in the wake of Ocasio-Cortez's endorsement this past weekend, which came just over two weeks before the June 22 election.
The survey by PIX11, NewsNation, and Emerson College shows that Wiley--a civil rights lawyer--is just five points behind Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a former NYPD officer. Businessman and former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang polled third, just two percentage points behind Wiley.
"If we don't come together as a movement, we will get a New York City built by and for billionaires, and we need a city for and by working people," Ocasio-Cortez said at an endorsement event outside City Hall in Manhattan on Saturday.
"So we will vote for Maya number 1," added the New York Democrat, alluding to the city's new ranked-choice voting system. Early voting in the contest begins on June 12.
Bowman, a freshman member of Congress, endorsed Wiley on the same day as Ocasio-Cortez, tweeting that "New York City's next mayor needs to be a progressive fighter, ready to reimagine a New York that works for every single community."
\u201cThe system has been crushing our highest-need communities for decades.\n\n@mayawiley's trauma-informed approach means governing with an understanding of the trauma that has come along with years of neglect, disinvestment, and redlining.\u201d— Jamaal Bowman Ed.D (@Jamaal Bowman Ed.D) 1623342519
Prominent progressive organizations in New York City have also recently thrown their support behind Wiley, who is running on a platform that includes a Works Progress Administration-style jobs and infrastructure program, policing reform, and significant investments in affordable housing.
"As Eric Adams and Andrew Yang continue to push dangerous pro-corporate, pro-carceral agendas, it's more important than ever that we consolidate progressive strength to ensure a working people's champion wins this year," Sochie Nnaemeka, the head of the state's Working Families Party (WFP), said in a statement. "Maya Wiley has the momentum, platform, and growing diverse coalition to win this race."
WFP originally endorsed Scott Stringer but rescinded the co-sign after a former campaign volunteer accused the New York City comptroller of sexual assault, an allegation he has denied.
Last month, WFP issued a dual endorsement of Wiley and education advocate Dianne Morales, whose campaign is "near the brink of implosion" after staff members accused her of attempting to quash their unionization effort and failing to address other internal workplace issues. Morales has since pledged to support the staff union push.
As the New York Times reported earlier this week: "Four progressive groups, including the Working Families Party, have rescinded their endorsements for Ms. Morales. All are now endorsing Ms. Wiley."
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
New York City mayoral candidate Maya Wiley is seeing her poll numbers surge after netting high-profile endorsements in recent days from progressive lawmakers and organizations, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, and the Working Families Party.
After previously struggling to crack the top three in the crowded Democratic primary field, Wiley jumped to second place in the first major poll conducted in the wake of Ocasio-Cortez's endorsement this past weekend, which came just over two weeks before the June 22 election.
The survey by PIX11, NewsNation, and Emerson College shows that Wiley--a civil rights lawyer--is just five points behind Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a former NYPD officer. Businessman and former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang polled third, just two percentage points behind Wiley.
"If we don't come together as a movement, we will get a New York City built by and for billionaires, and we need a city for and by working people," Ocasio-Cortez said at an endorsement event outside City Hall in Manhattan on Saturday.
"So we will vote for Maya number 1," added the New York Democrat, alluding to the city's new ranked-choice voting system. Early voting in the contest begins on June 12.
Bowman, a freshman member of Congress, endorsed Wiley on the same day as Ocasio-Cortez, tweeting that "New York City's next mayor needs to be a progressive fighter, ready to reimagine a New York that works for every single community."
\u201cThe system has been crushing our highest-need communities for decades.\n\n@mayawiley's trauma-informed approach means governing with an understanding of the trauma that has come along with years of neglect, disinvestment, and redlining.\u201d— Jamaal Bowman Ed.D (@Jamaal Bowman Ed.D) 1623342519
Prominent progressive organizations in New York City have also recently thrown their support behind Wiley, who is running on a platform that includes a Works Progress Administration-style jobs and infrastructure program, policing reform, and significant investments in affordable housing.
"As Eric Adams and Andrew Yang continue to push dangerous pro-corporate, pro-carceral agendas, it's more important than ever that we consolidate progressive strength to ensure a working people's champion wins this year," Sochie Nnaemeka, the head of the state's Working Families Party (WFP), said in a statement. "Maya Wiley has the momentum, platform, and growing diverse coalition to win this race."
WFP originally endorsed Scott Stringer but rescinded the co-sign after a former campaign volunteer accused the New York City comptroller of sexual assault, an allegation he has denied.
Last month, WFP issued a dual endorsement of Wiley and education advocate Dianne Morales, whose campaign is "near the brink of implosion" after staff members accused her of attempting to quash their unionization effort and failing to address other internal workplace issues. Morales has since pledged to support the staff union push.
As the New York Times reported earlier this week: "Four progressive groups, including the Working Families Party, have rescinded their endorsements for Ms. Morales. All are now endorsing Ms. Wiley."
New York City mayoral candidate Maya Wiley is seeing her poll numbers surge after netting high-profile endorsements in recent days from progressive lawmakers and organizations, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, and the Working Families Party.
After previously struggling to crack the top three in the crowded Democratic primary field, Wiley jumped to second place in the first major poll conducted in the wake of Ocasio-Cortez's endorsement this past weekend, which came just over two weeks before the June 22 election.
The survey by PIX11, NewsNation, and Emerson College shows that Wiley--a civil rights lawyer--is just five points behind Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a former NYPD officer. Businessman and former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang polled third, just two percentage points behind Wiley.
"If we don't come together as a movement, we will get a New York City built by and for billionaires, and we need a city for and by working people," Ocasio-Cortez said at an endorsement event outside City Hall in Manhattan on Saturday.
"So we will vote for Maya number 1," added the New York Democrat, alluding to the city's new ranked-choice voting system. Early voting in the contest begins on June 12.
Bowman, a freshman member of Congress, endorsed Wiley on the same day as Ocasio-Cortez, tweeting that "New York City's next mayor needs to be a progressive fighter, ready to reimagine a New York that works for every single community."
\u201cThe system has been crushing our highest-need communities for decades.\n\n@mayawiley's trauma-informed approach means governing with an understanding of the trauma that has come along with years of neglect, disinvestment, and redlining.\u201d— Jamaal Bowman Ed.D (@Jamaal Bowman Ed.D) 1623342519
Prominent progressive organizations in New York City have also recently thrown their support behind Wiley, who is running on a platform that includes a Works Progress Administration-style jobs and infrastructure program, policing reform, and significant investments in affordable housing.
"As Eric Adams and Andrew Yang continue to push dangerous pro-corporate, pro-carceral agendas, it's more important than ever that we consolidate progressive strength to ensure a working people's champion wins this year," Sochie Nnaemeka, the head of the state's Working Families Party (WFP), said in a statement. "Maya Wiley has the momentum, platform, and growing diverse coalition to win this race."
WFP originally endorsed Scott Stringer but rescinded the co-sign after a former campaign volunteer accused the New York City comptroller of sexual assault, an allegation he has denied.
Last month, WFP issued a dual endorsement of Wiley and education advocate Dianne Morales, whose campaign is "near the brink of implosion" after staff members accused her of attempting to quash their unionization effort and failing to address other internal workplace issues. Morales has since pledged to support the staff union push.
As the New York Times reported earlier this week: "Four progressive groups, including the Working Families Party, have rescinded their endorsements for Ms. Morales. All are now endorsing Ms. Wiley."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.