Jumaane Williams Joins Field Of Candidates For Public Advocate

NEW YORK — City Councilman Jumaane Williams announced his intent Tuesday to run for public advocate next year, joining a crowded race for a seat that's not even open yet. The Flatbush Democrat has filed papers to open a campaign committee to support a potential bid to replace Public Advocate Letitia James, who's favored to win next month's election for state attorney general.

James, a Democrat, heading to Albany would set off a special election next year for her current office. That prospect has already attracted several other declared candidates, including state Assemblyman Michael Blake and Nomiki Konst, a democratic socialist journalist.

Coming off an unsuccessful left-flank run for lieutenant governor, Williams will formally launch his bid for public advocate "if and when" James actually vacates her seat, his campaign said. But he pledged to fight for affordability and equity if elected to the job.

"New York City needs to live up to its promise as a progressive beacon, and government needs not just to legislate but to listen," Williams said in a statement. "Too many working class New Yorkers are struggling, and this city belongs to them- not just to the rich or real estate lobby."

While he lost to Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul by about 6 percentage points in September's statewide Democratic primary, Williams won about 59,000 more votes than the incumbent within the five boroughs. He ran alongside Cynthia Nixon and was backed by the Working Families Party, which elevated James to the City Council in 2003.

If he's ultimately elected, Williams' path to the public advocate's office would follow that of his two immediate predecessors — James and Mayor Bill de Blasio both served in the Council before climbing up the ladder of city government.

The special election for James's job would come about two years before what's likely to be a heated race to replace de Blasio in 2021.

Blake jumped into the race Sunday at a kickoff rally in his home borough of The Bronx, announcing his run on a "jobs and justice" platform and pledging in a news release to continue James' "exemplary work."

Nearing the end of his second term in the Assembly, Blake is also a vice chair of the Democratic National Committee and was a campaign staffer for President Barack Obama.

Konst, an investigative reporter for the online news outlet The Young Turks, was the race's earliest entrant, confirming her candidacy less than two weeks after James' attorney general primary win.

She's cast herself as the "fiercely independent" choice, arguing the public advocate should be "free to expose, call out and investigate this Trump-like corruption which makes NY unaffordable."

Also running are David Eisenbach, a Columbia University professor who lost to James in a 2017 Democratic primary; and Theo Chino, a political activist. State Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell has also reportedly expressed interest in a campaign.

More candidates could throw their hats in the ring after the Nov. 6 general election, in which James is running on a ticket with Hochul and Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

(Correction: An earlier version of this story omitted the names of some candidates for public advocate in 2019.)

(Lead image: City Councilman Jumaane Williams speaks at a vigil for Stephon Clark in April 2018. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)