Longtime Manhattan Rep. Jerrold Nadler is endorsing Scott Stringer’s campaign for mayor, making Stringer the first candidate in the 2025 race to secure support from a member of New York’s congressional delegation.
Nadler, the delegation’s dean and oldest member, told the Daily News in an exclusive statement Monday he’s throwing his weight behind Stringer because the city “needs vision, experience and competence at City Hall, now more than ever.”
“Scott has an extensive record that proves he has what it takes to lead the city, deliver for New Yorkers, and clean up the mess after three years of chaos and corruption,” Nadler said, taking a shot at Mayor Adams, who’s under indictment on federal corruption charges.
“I’ve worked with Scott for more than three decades, and from his early days as a housing organizer to serving as city comptroller, he’s always worked hard, put New Yorkers first and has never been afraid to take on the status quo while serving the city he loves.”
A campaign lawyer for Adams, who has pleaded not guilty and is set to stand trial in April, didn’t return a request for comment.
The endorsement from Nadler, who has represented the voter-rich Upper West Side in Congress for over three decades, is especially important for driving turnout in Manhattan, Stringer argued.
“Jerry Nadler’s a critical barometer for Manhattan voters, especially on the west side,” he said. “I’ve long said: Texas has oil and the Upper West Side has prime Democratic voters.”
Nadler has a longstanding relationship with Stringer, who was elected in 1992 to take over his Manhattan-based State Assembly seat after Nadler became a congressman.
Stringer, whose most recent elected post was city comptroller, secured Nadler’s endorsement when he mounted his unsuccessful 2021 campaign for mayor, too. Stringer’s 2021 campaign was upended after two women accused him of sexual misconduct — claims he denies and which he has filed a defamation lawsuit over.
The other 10 members of New York City’s congressional delegation haven’t issued endorsements in the 2025 mayoral race yet. Other influential members whose endorsements are coveted include Reps. Hakeem Jeffries, Adriano Espaillat and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Stringer is among a packed field of more than a half dozen candidates running against Adams in June’s Democratic mayoral primary.
Adams faces a rocky path to reelection as he reels from historically low approval ratings and being denied public matching funds in December due to his indictment.
The field of Adams challengers could soon become even wider, as ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo is considering a run. If he’s going to run, Cuomo would likely have to announce a campaign before petitioning starts Feb. 25.
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