UPDATE, OCTOBER 2021: Here is who will be on your general election ballot for Brooklyn Borough President:
Democratic – Antonio Reynoso
Republican – Menachem M. Raitport
Conservative – Menachem M. Raitport
Voices for Change – Shanduke L. McPhatter
Rent Is 2 Damn High – Anthony T. Jones
Original pre-primary story:
The race for Brooklyn Borough President is by far the most competitive of the boroughs, with 13 Democratic candidates having opened campaign committees, the most in any current BP race. The current BP, Eric Adams, is term-limited and now running for mayor.
A borough president's powers are somewhat limited, though they do control some of the city's pursestrings (available numbers show the Brooklyn BP has just over $100 million in capital funding to allocate annually), can introduce legislation, appoint community board members, and make zoning recommendations. It’s a role that takes them across Brooklyn, using their taxpayer-funded position to shine a spotlight on the borough’s highs and lows.
So far 13 Democratic candidates have emerged for the June 22nd primary. Here they are:
Robert E. Cornegy Jr.
The 6' 10" councilmember representing Brooklyn's 36th District currently stands above his rivals, raising $249,640 in campaign contributions, the most than any candidate so far. (Despite this, Cornegy still does not qualify for the Campaign Finance Board's 8-to-1 matching funds program.) Cornegy seeks to adopt a "holistic approach" to solving the borough's pressing issues, including the approval of more affordable housing for all income levels, a tailored education based on a child's learning ability, and rolling out the welcome mat for more small businesses.
Kimberly Council
Framing her candidacy around reducing economic disparity, Kimberly Council has devoted her professional career to building up Brooklyn's affordable housing stock as executive director of the east Brooklyn-based nonprofit Berean Community and Family Life Center. On her campaign website, Council's agenda as BP includes funding community centers, fighting to make CUNY schools more affordable, and requiring NYPD officers to live in New York City. If elected to the seat, Council will not only be the first woman elected to the Brooklyn borough presidency, but the first Black woman to hold the seat in the Brooklyn.
Khari Edwards
A community organizer whose wheelhouse includes improving healthcare and solving workforce development disparities, Khari Edwards has never held public office yet commands a sizable chunk of campaign cash, raising $144,942. The born-and-bred Brooklynite looks to prioritize solutions for healthcare inequities by earmarking capital monies to hospitals, incentivize partnerships between Brooklyn businesses, and advocate for a tailored Area Median Income that only considers salaries from those in Brooklyn.
Robert Elstein
Robert Elstein's vision for Brooklyn looks to carve out more input from Brooklynites. He aims to end mayoral control of schools, create a climate change plan not just for Brooklyn but NYC, activate a "kindness initiative," and pique Brooklyn's interest for the arts by strengthening cultural institutions. A liberal arts teacher at a public high school in Brooklyn, Elstein's call to enter the race came shortly after fellow Brooklynite, Mayor Bill de Blasio, reopened schools, which he considered a poor decision.
Rafael Espinal Jr.
Though he's kept his campaign committee open, there are no indications that Espinal is actively running for the seat of borough president. Should he officially re-enter the race, Espinal—currently the executive director of the Freelancers Union—will have instant name recognition in a borough where he presided as Councilmember for the 37th District. Until then, Espinal has $13,750 in campaign funds waiting for him.
Mathieu Eugene
The City Council's first Haitian elected to the body hopes to take his dozen-year legislative experience to Brooklyn Borough Hall.Councilmember Mathieu Eugene, a.k.a. the "Haitian Sensation," is term-limited after presiding over the 40th District for 12 years with nary a major victory to claim in the council. With no campaign website underscoring his ideas, Eugene's platform is unclear, though on the council website Eugene maintains he's pushed on a range of issues that include smaller class sizes, improved access to healthcare, neighborhood preservation, and increase the chances in obtaining affordable housing.
Pearlene Fields
Disillusioned by the crop of lawmakers representing Brooklyn, Pearlene Fields is hoping her experience serving on Brooklyn's Community Board 17 takes her to borough hall. Fields looks to advocate for two-year trade apprenticeships at public schools, a small business incubator, and improving Brooklyn's infrastructure right down to street signs.
Anthony Jones
A district leader for the 55th Assembly District, Anthony Jones is no stranger to the borough's political establishment, having unsuccessfully ran for Assembly in 2014. With the pandemic devastating the borough, Jones seeks to strengthen the supply at food banks and lower property taxes, while keeping an eye on helping to change zoning laws and having illegal guns taken off the streets.
Shanduke McPhatter
Coming into the borough president's race under a cloud of controversy, Shanduke McPhatter has become a prominent violence interrupter whose group is largely funded by the city. McPhatter told the Daily News that his platform centers on community safety for a borough where shootings had climbed last year. As he’s on the campaign trail, McPhatter, the founder and CEO of Gangstas Making Astronomical Community Changes, will likely need to answer questions on accusations he threatened to have his neighbor killed last year.
Robert Ramos Jr.
The former president of DC37 Local 205 Daycare Workers Union, Robert Ramos Jr. is calling for an expansion of community land trusts, retrofitting NYCHA complexes with solar energy panels, and customizing the Area Median Income of an affordable housing property according to the existing neighborhood’s income.
Antonio Reynoso
He may have raised less campaign funds when compared to his Robert Cornegy Jr., who's currently on top, but Brooklyn councilmember Antonio Reynoso of the 34th District —credited for overhauling the commercial waste industry through a groundbreaking bill—has offset that with enough high-profile endorsements from the Working Families Party and Make The Road New York. Alternatives to policing, eviction protections, and eco-friendly initiatives such as more solar panel roofs are atop Reynoso's agenda. And while he may not have raised the most, Reynoso is holding on to his cash longer than Cornegy, who has $11,569 in the campaign account compared to Reynoso's $139,089 balance.
Jo Anne Simon
Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon is looking to trade the commute to Albany for a four-year term in her home borough. On her website, Simon—who would be the first female Brooklyn BP—lists previous accomplishments that include criminal justice reform, commissioning traffic studies, and bringing down educational barriers for students. Simon's fundraising so far trails councilmember Robert Cornegy Jr. by just a few thousand dollars.
Lamor Whitehead-Miller
A bishop with the Leaders of Tomorrow International Churches in Carnarsie, Lamor Whitehead-Miller aims to bring his brand for advocacy to the borough presidency by addressing domestic, youth, and police violence, according to his campaign website. While the other candidates have a small social media presence, Whitehead-Miller has a large following, with 233,000 followers. But he still lags in fundraising, with just $22,000 in the campaign kitty.
