Rep. Grace Meng backs Andrew Yang for NYC mayor
Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) endorsed Andrew Yang for mayor on Monday, hailing him as a coalition builder as the city reels from crises on multiple fronts.
The lawmaker, who’s taken a prominent stance against the nationwide spike in anti-Asian hate crimes, said Yang would strengthen “the presence of the Asian-American community, a community that has for way too long in both this country and right here in New York City been seen as too invisible.”
Nodding to Yang’s rise to national prominence during his unsuccessful 2020 run for the Democratic presidential nomination, Meng also said he’s “touched the hearts of Americans across the country,” positioning him to build alliances with all kinds of groups in the Big Apple.
He’ll “strengthen our coalitions and make sure that our city comes back stronger than ever,” the fifth-term congresswoman said at a press conference outside a Flushing, Queens, elementary school.
Candidates in the packed mayoral race have been scrambling to snag the last available endorsements as the June 22 Democratic primary nears. While most members of the city’s congressional delegation have announced support for one candidate or another, Rep. Adriano Espaillat’s (D-Manhattan) remains up for grabs since he took back his endorsement of city Comptroller Scott Stringer over allegations of sexual misconduct against the candidate.
Yang has been leading in the polls, though Adams for the first time nudged past him in a survey released last week.
Meng praised Yang for his stances on everything from affordable housing — he wants to spend $32 billion on 250,000 units — to small businesses, for which the candidate wants to cut red tape.
“Andrew’s the person that has the bold platform and [is] willing to put forth creative ideas,” said Meng, the city’s first Asian-American member of Congress.
More than one in 10 New Yorkers are of Asian descent, according to the U.S. Census.
“I would love to be a candidate that galvanizes the Asian-American vote here in New York City in a way that transforms politics here,” Yang said as he accepted the endorsement.
