Maya Wiley snags NYC mayoral endorsement from Rep. Yvette Clarke
Mayoral contender Maya Wiley scored a key endorsement from Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) on Friday, a boost to her campaign as she attempts to gain support among Black voters in the outer boroughs.
Clarke, who represents central Brooklyn, praised Wiley as “the change maker this moment calls for” in a written statement put out by the candidate’s campaign.
“Maya has innovative plans to create more than 100,000 new jobs, support care workers, save small businesses and build a better New York City for everyone,” Clarke said. “She will bring competence and compassion to City Hall and has the experience to bring people together to facilitate substantive change.”
“It’s time for a Black woman to be mayor,” she added. “I am proud to support Maya.”
Wiley so far has racked up endorsements from Local 1199 of SEIU, which represents health care workers, Rep. Nydia Velazquez and state Sen. Michael Gianaris, as well as Assembly members Latoya Joyner, Khaleel Anderson and Deborah Glick.
How effective Clarke will be in getting out votes for Wiley is an open question, though.
She faced tough primary battles in her last two re-election runs and in 2018 won the Democratic primary by fewer than 2,000 votes.
For Wiley, though, the endorsement is a key stamp of approval from a federal lawmaker who’s Black in a race that features four Black candidates who are arguably in the top tier — Wiley, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, former Citi exec Ray McGuire and former non-profit honcho Dianne Morales, who identifies as Afro-Latina.
“Congresswoman Clarke has been a strong leader for central Brooklyn for more than a decade,” Wiley said. “I look forward to partnering with her to bring equitable COVID recovery to New York City by creating well-paying jobs, building more affordable housing, and putting the public back in public safety so that all New Yorkers can live with dignity.”
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