Upper Manhattan Councilman To Run For Borough President

MANHATTAN, NY — Upper Manhattan City Councilmember Mark Levine is jumping into the race for Manhattan Borough President.

Levine announced his bid for Borough President Monday evening with the release of a campaign video where he asks: "What's happened to Manhattan?" In the video, the lawmaker takes a stand against the construction of super-tall developments for the rich and rising rent prices in the borough.

The councilman waited until 2020 to announce his campaign, but had been raising throughout 2019, a spokesperson for his campaign said. As of July 2019, Levine raised more than $200,000, with an average donation amount less than $100. Levine has pledged to refuse campaign contributions from the real estate industry and corporate PACs.

Levine — whose district includes parts of Harlem, the Upper West Side and Washington Heights — touted his record in the City Council as a qualification for the Borough President job. The lawmaker has passed bills guaranteeing the right to counsel for tenants in housing court and regulating e-cigarette industry by banning flavors that appeal to kids.

"The future of Manhattan is on the line in the 2021 election. Neighborhoods across this borough are struggling--with skyrocketing rents, record homelessness, and the shuttering of mom and pop stores. We need to act boldly to ensure this remains a place where people of all backgrounds can continue to live and thrive," Levine said in a statement.

In addition to announcing his candidacy on Monday, Levine rolled out endorsements from 15 Manhattan elected officials including City Councilmember Margaret Chin and State Assemblymember Al Taylor. More than a dozen endorsements came from Democratic district leaders throughout the borough.

The election for Manhattan Borough President will occur in 2021. Current Borough President Gale Brewer will be forced to vacate the seat due to term limits. Brewer has not yet announced a preference for her successor.

Upper East Side City Councilmember Ben Kallos announced his candidacy for Borough President in October, touting the endorsement of several labor unions. Both Kallos and Levine will be term-limited out of the council in 2021.