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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2021

District Council 37 endorses Eric Adams for Mayor

Also makes endorsements in Comptroller, Public Advocate, Borough President, Manhattan and Brooklyn District Attorney and City Council races.

NEW YORK—District Council 37, New York City’s largest public sector union, today endorsed Eric Adams in the democratic mayoral primary race. Adams has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to labor, housing and affordability – issues critical to the union’s membership. DC 37, with 150,000 members and 50,000 retirees, represents the largest share of the municipal workforce that the next mayor will inherit.

“Eric has been a friend of this union since his earliest days in public service,” said Henry Garrido, Executive Director District Council 37, AFSCME. “Labor is in his blood – his mother was a DC 37 member. He’s stood with us at rallies and marched with us at protests. He knows that New York City thrives when its workers thrive. He’s committed to being the Blue Collar Mayor and friend of labor our workers deserve.”

“DC37’s endorsement is personal to me as the son of a DC 37 member who knows all too well the struggles of a blue collar household–a struggle millions of New Yorkers are going through right now,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. “I have been fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with working people my entire adult life for better wages, more affordable housing, healthcare and safer streets. Now we have a chance to correct the inequalities of the past and put working people first in this city. It is time that the people who make this city run are the people who run this city. I am so honored to have DC 37’s endorsement as our movement and our momentum grows.”

The union is planning a robust member education program, geared towards turning out our large membership base in support of Adams and other endorsed candidates. In past elections, the union has seen 15 percent higher voter turnout than the general electorate and 88 percent of members have traditionally voted for whomever the union has endorsed.

Earlier this month, Garrido penned an op-ed in Gotham Gazette detailing what the union was seeking in the next mayor. The op-ed can be found here.

The union also made endorsements in the following races today:

• Comptroller: Corey Johnson
• Public Advocate: Jumaane Williams
• Manhattan Borough President: Mark Levine
• Brooklyn Borough President: Khari Edwards
• Queens Borough President: Donovan Richards
• Bronx Borough President: Vanessa Gibson
• Manhattan District Attorney: Tahanie Aboushi
• Brooklyn District Attorney: Eric Gonzalez
• City Council District 17: Rafael Salamanca
• City Council District 26: Amit Bagga
• City Council District 30: Juan Ardila
• City Council District 42: Charles Barron
• City Council District 44: Kalman Yeger
• City Council District 49: Amoy Barnes

“I’m running for Comptroller with one mission: to better the lives of New Yorkers,” said Corey Johnson, Candidate for Comptroller. “DC 37 members have done essential work during the pandemic and will play a crucial role in our recovery. I’m grateful to President Henry Garrido, the Executive Council and every one of DC 37’s 150,000 members and 50,000 retirees for this extraordinary endorsement. As your Comptroller, I’ll use every power of the office to kick-start our city’s recovery and target relief to the New Yorkers who need it most. And I’ll always protect our pension funds, so hard-working public servants can rest assured their benefits will always be there.”

Tahanie Aboushi, Candidate for Manhattan District Attorney, said, “I’m deeply humbled to have the support of DC 37’s hard working members, who truly keep this city running. They’ve made tremendous sacrifices this past year as essential workers, and they’re essential to shaping the future of our justice system. This is nothing short of a game changer for this race.”

“DC 37 members have kept our city running throughout the pandemic and I am proud to have their support for my campaign for Manhattan Borough President,” said Mark Levine, Candidate for Manhattan Borough President. “Our borough’s future depends on delivering an equitable recovery for our working families and ensuring our workers have the support they need to thrive here. I’m ready to deliver as our next BP.”

“As someone who worked on the frontlines inside a hospital during the height of this pandemic, I saw our city’s workforce put their lives on the line every day ensuring that our city did not miss a beat, which is why I am honored to receive DC 37’s endorsement. As Brooklyn Borough President, I will fight to provide a better future for our city’s workforce while ensuring that every city employee gets the respect they deserve,” said Khari Edwards, Candidate for Brooklyn Borough President.

“If I learned anything in the seven years of my career as a municipal public servant, it is that DC 37’s 150,000+ members—the majority of whom are Black, Brown, and Immigrant New Yorkers—built this city and do the work that allows it to operate every day. They are the lunchroom workers, lead abatement technicians, hospital laundry workers, essential program administrators, human rights specialists, paramedics and so many others who are the difference between a safe, livable, and functioning city and no city at all. To have their support is a true honor,” said Amit Bagga, Candidate for City Council District 26.

“I’m proud to be supported by the hard working men and women of DC 37,” said Juan Ardila, Candidate for City Council District 30. “Throughout this pandemic, they’ve had our back and have pushed to keep our City moving during a difficult period. I look forward to working with them in the City Council and having their backs now as we head into this period of recovery.”

Earlier this year, DC 37 endorsed the following candidates:

MANHATTAN
Jenny Low (Distr. 1)
Carlina Rivera (Distr. 2)
Erik Bottcher (Distr. 3)
Keith Powers (Distr. 4)
Julie Menin (Distr. 5)
Gale Brewer (Distr. 6)
Shaun Abreu (Distr. 7)
Carmen De La Rosa (Distr. 10)

BRONX
Diana Ayala (Distr. 8)
Eric Dinowitz (District 11)
Kevin Riley (Distr. 12)
Marjorie Velazquez (District 13)
Pierina Sanchez (District 14)
Ischia Bravo (District 15)
Althea Stevens (Distr. 16)
Amanda Farias (Distr. 18)

QUEENS
Austin Shafran (Distr. 19)
Sandra Ung (Distr. 20)
Francisco Moya (Distr. 21)
Tiffany Cabán (Distr. 22)
Shekar Krishnan (Distr. 25)
Nantasha Williams (District 27)
Adrienne Adams (Distr. 28)
Lynn Schulman (Distr. 29)
Selvena Brooks-Powers (Distr. 31)
Felicia Singh (Distr. 32)

BROOKLYN
Lincoln Restler (Distr.33)
Jen Gutiérrez (Distr. 34)
Crystal Hudson (District 35)
Henry Butler (Distr. 36)
Sandy Nurse (Distr. 37)
Alexa Aviles (Distr. 38)
Bridget Ann Rein (District 39)
Kenya Handy-Hillary (District 40)
Alicka Ampry-Samuel (Distr. 41)
Justin Brannan (Distr. 43)
Farah Louis (Distr. 45)
Ari Kagan (Distr. 47)
Boris Noble (Distr. 48)

New York’s primary elections are scheduled to take place June 22, 2021.