Queens Borough President Candidates (CFB)
March 11, 2020 By Allie Griffin
Endorsements and campaign contributions have been coming in for the six candidates running for Queens borough president, with the special election to be held in less than two weeks.
The nonpartisan election on Tuesday, March 24 will determine who will be the new borough president following the resignation of Melinda Katz, who vacated the position Jan. 1 to become Queens District Attorney. Early voting begins Saturday, March 14 and ends Sunday, March 22.
Three candidates, Council Members Costa Constantinides and Donovan Richards and former Council Member Elizabeth Crowley, qualified for matching funds for the third time, the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) announced this week.
Crowley received the most in public funds on Monday — $32,827, while Constantinides got $24,092 and Richards got $9,965 from the CFB.
To qualify for the public matching funds, candidates must show they have received at least 100 contributions from Queens residents and bring in more than $44,614 in funds. The City then matches the contributions $8-to-1 on the first $175 contributed by New York residents.
In total, the CFB has provided nearly $2 million in matching public funds for the three candidates. Crowley has taken in $900,029 in public funds, Constantinides $608,171 and Richards has taken in $456,598 over the three pay periods for a combined total of $1,964,798 in public funds.
The other three candidates in the running are former Queens prosecutor Jim Quinn, retired NYPD sergeant Anthony Miranda and Flushing businessman Dao Yin.
Crowley has raised the most money among the candidates, while Richards has brought in the most endorsements from elected officials and has received the Queens County Democratic Party’s endorsement.
Richards has been criticized for the party’s endorsement as being the “Queens Machine” candidate.
Meanwhile, Constantinides and Crowley both picked up a large number of labor union endorsements and Richards earned some as well.
The winner of the special election will fill the seat only through the end of 2020, so campaigning will just take a short break as a primary election for the position is set for June, followed by a general election in November.
The winner of the November election will be borough president for the remainder of Katz’s original term, through the end of 2021.
Below is a list of endorsements and funds each candidate has received as of March 9.
Costa Constantinides (CFB)
Costa Constantinides
Endorsements:
UFCW Local 1500, IUOE Local 94, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, Teamsters Local 553, South Asian American Voters Association, Muslim Democratic Club of New York, New Queens Democrats, NASW-NYC Pace, Teamsters Local 814, CWA Local 1106, RWDSU, Sunrise Movement NYC, Muslim Entrepreneur Association, Stonewall Democrats of NYC, Teamsters Joint Council 16, Sierra Club NYC, Streets Pac;
State Sen. Michael Gianaris, State Sen. Jessica Ramos, State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, Assembly Member Aravella Simotas, Assembly Member Ron Kim, Council Member Helen Rosenthal, Council Member Ben Kallos, Astoria Houses Tenant Association President Claudia Coger, Woodside Houses Tenant Assoc. President Annie Cotton Morris, Transgender Rights Advocate Emilia Decaudin
Campaign Money: $847,967 total raised ($239,796 in private funds and $608,171 in public funds)
Elizabeth Crowley (CFB)
Elizabeth Crowley
Endorsements:
Transport Workers Union Local 100, IBEW Local Union 3, UA Plumbers Local 1, New York City Police Benevolent Association, Uniformed Firefighters Association, Uniformed Fire Officers Association, FDNY EMS Local 2507, Painters District Council 9, Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 28, International Union of Operating Engineers, CWA Local 1180, New American Voters Association, Eleanor’s Legacy, Detectives Endowment Association, New York Court Officers Association, The Vulcan Society, Local 12 Insulators, SMART Union Local 28, NYC District Council of Carpenters, IATSE Stagehands, IUEC Local 1, Himalayan Democratic Club, Begowal Society of New York
Former Congress Member Elizabeth Holtzman
Campaign Money: $1,251,339 total raised ($351,310 in private funds and $900,029 in public funds)
Anthony Miranda Photo by Nicolas Manassi (www.nmanassi.com)
Anthony Miranda
Endorsements:
Community Alliance Group, Bangladeshi American Advocacy Group, Grand Council of Guardians, NYC Deputy Sheriffs Association, 100 Hispanic Men, East Elmhurst Corona Democratic Club, Community Unit 1st, Friends Forever of 78 Inc, Small Business Congress, Voice of Pakistani Americans
Campaign Money: $69,200 total raised
Jim Quinn (CFB)
Jim Quinn
Endorsements:
Queens County Republican Party, Queens County Conservative Party, Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association,
Council Member Robert Holden, former State Sen. Serf Maltese, civic leader Tony Nunziato, Italian-American community leader Tony DiPiazza
Campaign Money: $79,453 total raised
Donovan Richards (CFB)
Donovan Richards
Endorsements: Queens County Democratic Party, 1199 SEIU, DC37, United Federation of Teachers, 32BJ SEIU, Hotel Trades Council, Local 372, Council of School Supervisors & Administrators
Congress Member Gregory Meeks, Congress Member Hakeem Jeffries, State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Sen. Leroy Comrie, State Sen. James Sanders, State Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky, Assembly Member Catalina Cruz, Assembly Member Vivian Cook, Assembly Member Alicia Hyndman, Assembly Member Clyde Vanel, Assembly Member Daniel Rosenthal, Assembly Member Catherine Nolan, Assembly Member David Weprin, Assembly Member Nily Rozic, Assembly Member Michael DenDekker, Assembly Member Jeffrion Aubry, Former Borough President Claire Shulman, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Council Member I. Daneek Miller, Council Member Adrienne Adams, Council Member Rory Lancman, Council Member Karen Koslowitz, Council Member Francisco Moya, Council Member Paul Vallone
Campaign Money: $672,342 total raised ($215,744 in private funds and $456,598 in public funds)
Dao Yin (CFB)
Dao Yin
Campaign Money: $97,624
Featured Events
