Press Release: One Of City’s Top LGBT Political Clubs Endorses Congressional Candidates In Hotly Contested Races
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allen Roskoff, (917) 553-7180
Nydia Velazquez, Charles Rangel for Re-Election to Congress, Rory Lancman and Hakeem Jeffries for First Term Congressmembers and others for Election 2012
New York, May 24, 2010 -- The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, named for the legendary gay activist Jim Owles, endorsed Nydia Velazquez and Charles Rangel for re-election to Congress. First-time congressional candidates Rory Lancman, running in Queens, and Hakeem Jeffries, running in Brooklyn, also received the club's nod.
“Congressmember Velazquez embodies the progressive ideals of the Jim Owles club and has proven to be a fighter for all New Yorkers,” said Allen Roskoff, club President. “Her bold ideas, including her active support to secure the rights of immigrants, improve the lives of low-income and middle-class New Yorkers, improve education and fight for an end to the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, demonstrate a fierce determination to progressive values that is badly needed in the halls of Congress.”
Charles Rangel was supported because of his lifelong career of fighting for civil rights and economic justice. "Congressmember Rangel has spent his entire career using the power of his office to advance the rights of all disenfranchised people," Roskoff continued. "Rep. Rangel has been an outspoken proponent of marriage equality and for the repeal of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act. Rangel's opponents, including his chief opponent Adriano Espaillat, did not respond to repeated requests to appear before our screening panel. Anyone who does not want to run with the support of leading LGBT organizations cannot be trusted to be true fighters in the cause to further these basic rights"
For the newly-vacated congressional seat in the Sixth Congressional District in Queens Rory Lancman received an early endorsement due to his longtime commitment to the labor movement and his unwavering support for marriage equality and reproductive rights. In Brooklyn's 8th district, Hakeem Jeffries is endorsed based on his extraordinary work in the State Assembly. Jeffries’ opponent, Charles Barron, opposes marriage equality, which is just one of many troubling reasons he has not received the club's endorsement.
In our consideration, commitment to liberal values is more important than politics as usual. We were impressed with each of our endorsed candidate's strong commitment to issues about which our club cares deeply, including support for marriage equality, reproductive rights, access to healthcare, the Dream Act, support for ethics reform in Albany and Washington and opposition to the death penalty.
The club also endorsed candidates for President, US Senate, other Congressional seats, New York State Senate, New York State Assembly, Democratic State Committee and District Leader.
Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club Endorsement List Primary 2012
PRESIDENT: Barack Obama
UNITED STATES SENATE: Kirsten Gillibrand
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
7th Nydia Velazquez, Brooklyn
8th Hakeem Jeffries, Brooklyn
9th Yvette Clarke, Brooklyn
10th Jerry Nadler, Manhattan/Brooklyn
11th Mark Murphy, Brooklyn/Staten Island
12th Carolyn Maloney, Manhattan/Queens
13th Charles Rangel, Manhattan
15th Jose Serrano, Bronx
NEW YORK STATE SENATE
11th Senate District, Tony Avella, Queens
13th Senate District, Jose R. Peralta, Queens
16th Senate District, Toby Ann Stavisky, Queens
18th Senate District, Jason Otano, Brooklyn
20th Senate District, Eric Adams, Brooklyn
21st Senate District, Kevin S. Parker, Brooklyn
22nd Senate District, Andrew Gounardes, Brooklyn
23rd Senate District, Diane J. Savino, Staten Island/Brooklyn
25th Senate District, Velmanette Montgomery, Brooklyn
28th Senate District, Liz Krueger, Manhattan
30th Senate District, Bill Perkins, Manhattan
31st Senate District, Adriano Espillat, Manhattan
33nd Senate District, Gustavo Rivera, Manhattan
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
28th Assembly District, Andrew Hevesi, Queens
39th Assembly District Francisco Moya, Queens
42nd Assembly District Rhoda Jacobs, Brooklyn
44th Assembly District James F. Brennan, Brooklyn
52nd Assembly District Joan Millman, Brooklyn
57th Assembly District Olanike Alabi, Brooklyn
61st Assembly District Matthew Titone, Staten Island
64th Assembly District Sheldon Silver, Manhattan
70th Assembly District, Keith L.T. Wright, Manhattan
71st Assembly District Herman D. Farrell, Jr., Manhattan
72nd Assembly District Gabriela Rosa, Manhattan
73rd Assembly District Dan Quart, Manhattan
75th Assembly District Richard Gottfried, Manhattan
Surrogate Court, Manhattan: Rita Mella
1st Civil Court in Brooklyn, Richard Monteleone
3rd Civil Court District, Manhattan: Olga Statz
52nd Assembly District State Committee, Brooklyn: Jo Anne Simon
66th Assembly District State Committee, Manhattan: Arthur Schwartz
67th Assembly District State Committee, Manhattan: Arthur Greig