Press Release: Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club Announces New Endorsements In 2022 Congressional & State Races
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allen Roskoff - 917-553-7180, aroskoff@mac.com
NEW YORK - The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, New York’s city-wide, progressive LGBTQ Democratic club, announced today a new round of endorsements in 2022 U.S. Congressional and New York State legislature races. The club endorsed two members of Congress for re-election, five incumbent members of the State Assembly, and two incumbents of the State Senate. They also endorsed three challengers seeking Assembly seats and three challengers seeking Senate seats.
The club notably endorsed longtime progressive U.S. Representative Jerold Nadler and Representative Ritchie Torres, the only out member of the LGBTQ Community in the New York City Congressional delegation. “We are proud to endorse progressive stalwart Jerry Nadler, who has long-championed LGBTQ causes and matters of justice, and we’re proud to have our community represented by Ritchie Torres. The club overwhelmingly endorsed both incumbents for their record of being effective legislators and leaders,” club President Allen Roskoff continued.
In Manhattan’s 75th State Assembly District, to replace retiring Assembly Member Richard Gottfriend, the club endorsed candidate Tony Simone, a devout progressive who is openly gay. They also endorsed Sarah Blas, an openly bi-sexual State Senate candidate seeking to replace Senator Diane Savino, who recently announced her retirement from the 23rd district. Roskoff described both candidates as “powerful LGBTQ leaders who we look forward to working with in Albany.” Roskoff continued, “From Greenwich Village to Staten Island, these two rising star candidates will serve the people of their districts with integrity and courage.”
All candidates endorsed at the meeting either agreed to or already sponsored the Elder Parole and Fair and Timely Parole bills, endorsed the decriminalization of sex work and opposed the Nordic model, and supported removing Edward I. Koch’s name from the 59th Street Bridge, all of which are top priorities for the club. The club asks all candidates to complete a questionnaire, and these are available at https://jimowles.org/questionnaires.
The following candidates received the club’s endorsement at the recent meeting:
From left to right, candidates’ names are listed below.
Jerry Nadler - 10th Congressional District
Ritchie Torres - 15th Congressional District
Jessica Ramos - 13th State Senate District
David Alexis - 21st State Senate District
Sarah Blas - 23rd State Senate District
Cordell Cleare - 32nd State Senate District
Christian Amato - 36th State Senate District
Khaleel Anderson - 31st Assembly District
Jessica González-Rojas - 34th Assembly District
John Ruiz Miranda - 68th Assembly District
Inez Dickens - 70th Assembly District
Kellie Leeson - 73rd Assembly District
Harvey Epstein - 74th Assembly District
Tony Simone - 75th State Assembly District
Amanda Septimo - 84th Assembly District
The club made the following endorsements at its prior 2022 meetings:
Mike Gianaris - State Senate District 12
Julia Salazar – State Senate District 18
Andrew Gounardes - State Senate District 22
Brad Hoylman - State Senate District 27
Yuh-Line Niou - State Senate District 29
Jose Serrano - State Senate District 31
Luis Sepulveda - State Senate District 32
Robert Jackson – State Senate District 33
Gustavo Rivera - State Senate District 35
Alicia Hyndman – Assembly District 29
Zohran Mamdani - Assembly District 36
Catalina Cruz - Assembly District 39
Robert Carroll - Assembly District 44
Emily Gallagher - Assembly District 50
Jo Anne Simon - Assembly District 52
Maritza Davila - Assembly District 53
Samy Nemir Olivares - Assembly District 54
Latrice Walker – Assembly District 55
Olanike Alabi - Assembly District 57
Ryder Kessler – Assembly District 66
Rebecca Seawright - Assembly District 76
Chantel Jackson - Assembly District 79
Jessica Altagracia Woolford – Assembly District 81
Jonathan Soto - Assembly District 82
Kenny Burgos - Assembly District 85
Judicial Endorsements
Hilary Gingold – Surrogate Court, Manhattan
Lisa Sokoloff – 2nd Civil Court, Manhattan
Terrence McCormick – 4th Civil Court, Manhattan
Carmen Pacheco – Municipal District, Civil Court Judge –Manhattan
Devin Robinson – Civil Court Judge, Brooklyn
Pamela Patton Fynes – Civil Court, Kings County
Sherveal Mimes – Civil Court, Kings County
The club will continue to make endorsements for other seats in the state legislature, as well as statewide, congressional races and judicial seats at upcoming meetings.