Unsurprisingly, the progressive nod in the battle for a new congressional district spanning the Upper West and Upper East sides of Manhattan has gone to the candidate on the left side of the map.
The ultra liberal Working Families Party has endorsed Rep. Jerrold Nadler over Rep. Carolyn Maloney on Wednesday in the campaign that pits two decades-entrenched Democratic incumbents and one-time allies against one another following redistricting.
“Jerry Nadler has been a powerful voice for reforming the Supreme Court, reimagining our justice system, and putting diplomacy and engagement over war and aggression,” said Sochie Nnaemeka, director of the New York Working Families Party in backing the House Judiciary Committee Chairman.
“We’re proud to support Congressman Nadler in the new 12th Congressional District.”
After the courts struck down congressional maps drawn by New York Democrats as unconstitutional partisan gerrymandering — called the “Hochulmander” by Republicans because Gov. Kathy Hochul approved them — court-ordered special master Jonathan Cervas redrew the 12th Congressional District and folded Nadler’s political base and residence on the Upper West Side with Maloney’s turf on the East Side instead of keeping it in his current 10th District.
Nadler, 74, immediately announced he would run against Maloney, 76, the House oversight committee chairwoman, without even reaching out to her, days before a judge made the maps official.
The two have served side-by-side in the House for three decades but that move turned them into instant foes.
“I’m proud today to have the endorsement of the Working Families Party,” said Nadler, who tweeted out the WFP endorsement and took a dig at Maloney by claiming that he’s “the only true principled progressive” in the race.
“Since its founding, I’ve always worked closely with the WFP on important social and economic justice issues. Together, we’ve fought side by side for civil rights and civil liberties, immigration rights, improved fast-food worker pay and conditions, paid sick leave for New York City workers, and a living wage for all.
Both Nadler and Maloney serve in the House Democrats’ Progressive Caucus.
Still, the Nadler endorsement should not catch Maloney off guard — while the WFP backed her in prior years, it had endorsed Muslim activist Rana Abdelhamid before she dropped her bid to run in the 12th CD after her base in western Queens was cut out of the district by the special master.
The Maloney camp declined comment. But a source close to the congresswoman dismissed the WFP endorsement of Nadler as a non-factor in the race.
Suraj Patel, a businessman and lawyer who has run twice before against Maloney, is the third candidate and a wildcard who could impact the outcome.
