New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain are lending their collective support to a young state assemblymember, Claire Valdez, in her bid to replace Rep. Nydia Velázquez in Brooklyn-Queens congressional district.
Both prominent Democrats are backing Valdez, a 36-year-old from Queens who has been a vocal advocate for labor and progressive causes. The endorsement comes as a significant boost to the democratic socialist's campaign, signaling a powerful alignment with the party's left flank and labor unions.
Mamdani, who also supports former City Comptroller Brad Lander in another Brooklyn district, expressed his enthusiasm for Valdez's organizing credentials, citing her experience as a leader at Columbia University. "We need someone who will put forward that same agenda for the working class," he said.
The mayor believes Valdez has the potential to connect with voters in a district known for its progressive leanings and history of activism. Fain echoed this sentiment, calling Valdez a "working-class fighter" who would take on the billionaire class and fight for workers' rights.
Valdez will face an uphill battle in the primary against Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, a candidate with deep ties to the Democratic establishment. Mamdani acknowledged his respect for Reynoso but saw the primary as an opportunity to shape the party's future.
The backing of these high-profile Democrats comes as Velázquez announces her retirement from Congress. Her departure has created an opening for younger, more progressive candidates like Valdez, who are eager to carry on the legacy of trailblazers like Velázquez.
With Mamdani and Fain supporting her campaign, Valdez's prospects have taken a significant boost. She now faces the challenge of uniting the Democratic Party's left flank behind her candidacy as she seeks to replace Velázquez in Congress.
Both prominent Democrats are backing Valdez, a 36-year-old from Queens who has been a vocal advocate for labor and progressive causes. The endorsement comes as a significant boost to the democratic socialist's campaign, signaling a powerful alignment with the party's left flank and labor unions.
Mamdani, who also supports former City Comptroller Brad Lander in another Brooklyn district, expressed his enthusiasm for Valdez's organizing credentials, citing her experience as a leader at Columbia University. "We need someone who will put forward that same agenda for the working class," he said.
The mayor believes Valdez has the potential to connect with voters in a district known for its progressive leanings and history of activism. Fain echoed this sentiment, calling Valdez a "working-class fighter" who would take on the billionaire class and fight for workers' rights.
Valdez will face an uphill battle in the primary against Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, a candidate with deep ties to the Democratic establishment. Mamdani acknowledged his respect for Reynoso but saw the primary as an opportunity to shape the party's future.
The backing of these high-profile Democrats comes as Velázquez announces her retirement from Congress. Her departure has created an opening for younger, more progressive candidates like Valdez, who are eager to carry on the legacy of trailblazers like Velázquez.
With Mamdani and Fain supporting her campaign, Valdez's prospects have taken a significant boost. She now faces the challenge of uniting the Democratic Party's left flank behind her candidacy as she seeks to replace Velázquez in Congress.
I mean, what's next? Politicians backing each other up just to make themselves look good? It seems like a total PR stunt to me 
. Valdez is gonna have to do more than just be a proxy for Mamdani and Fain's agendas to win over the voters. And let's be real, Brooklyn-Queens district is already pretty progressive - how much of a difference can she really make? 
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But it's also gonna be tough for her to take down Reynoso, who's got the party establishment on his side 
. And what about Antonio Reynoso? He's got a lot of establishment cred on his side, which could make for an uphill battle in that primary 
! It's so important for us to support younger, progressive leaders who are passionate about fighting for workers' rights and creating positive change in our communities 
Valdez has an incredible amount of experience leading at Columbia University, which is a huge asset in this role. I'm also loving the fact that she's connecting with voters on such a personal level - we need more leaders who are willing to take on the tough issues and fight for what's right 
. One thing I'd love to see her focus on is building alliances between labor unions, community groups, and local businesses to create real, lasting change in Brooklyn-Queens. 
! I'm loving how all these powerful Democrats are coming together to support her campaign 
. She's got the energy and the passion of a true leader, and I can already imagine her rocking that congressional seat 
! The fact that they're putting their weight behind her is going to be super helpful in getting her message out there 
. And let's be real, who wouldn't want to unite the party's left flank behind her? 
. That being said, Valdez does have the momentum and support from two big names in the party, which is definitely worth watching 
. Can she unite the left flank behind her? Only time will tell 
!
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. But hey, with Mamdani and Fain backing her, she got this 
. And let me tell you, I'm all for a good old-fashioned party shake-up 
So another politician thinks they can be the savior for the working class 
. I mean, it's not like we haven't seen this movie before 
. But hey, if Claire Valdez has some decent organizing skills and can actually connect with voters (unlike most politicians 
), maybe she'll be the real deal 
. After all, politics is all about playing the game of who's got the most clout 
. And I love that Mamdani and Fain see value in her organizing experience - it's clear she's got some serious skills under her belt 
. Now, with these high-profile endorsements, I'm hoping Valdez can bring some much-needed change to the Democratic Party's left flank 
. We need more bold leaders like her who are willing to challenge the status quo and push for real progress 
. But let's be real, folks are gonna want to see some tangible results from her before they throw their support behind her entirely 
.
! I mean, we all know how much labor unions care about workers' rights, so it's huge that they're backing someone who shares those values 
. And let's be real, with Velázquez retiring from Congress, this is like a golden opportunity for younger, more progressive candidates to step up and carry on her legacy 
. Still, with Mamdani and Fain on board, it's like they're sending a strong message that this party is all about fighting for the working class 
. Can't wait to see how this all plays out!