Mediaboss Marketing

The first inside the gates was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, when she knocked off Queens machine boss Joe Crowley in June 2018. Three months later, a slew of progressive and socialist insurgentsbeat incumbents in New York state legislative primaries: some whod been serving decades, and others whod been part of the renegade Independent Democratic Conference, which shifted power in Albany toward Republicans. Those primaries brought Jessica Ramos, Alessandra Biaggi, Julia Salazar, and a host of others to Albany, where they uncorked a burst of bottled-up of progressive legislation.

Then came Tiffany Cabn, a former public defender who ran a shoestring campaign for Queens district attorney and came out ahead on election day in the summer of 2019, only to lose by a few dozen votes when the absentee ballots were counted.

The campaigns of the last two years created a roadmap for left-wing insurgents this cycle, with the Cabn and Ocasio-Cortez races pointing progressives to the New York City neighborhoods where their strength is particularly strong, exposing opportunities to unseat new incumbents. The 2018 bids for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, by Cynthia Nixon, Jumaane Williams, and Zephyr Teachout, respectively, left behind additional local data. While Jamaal Bowmans challenge to Rep. Eliot Engel has gotten the most coverage, Reps. Yvette Clarke, Greg Meeks, and others are fending off spirited challenges from the left. Progressive Mondaire Jones, meanwhile, has moved into the lead in an open congressional primary in a southern New York district. That same force is rattling the cages of the machine in down-ballot races throughout the city.

The 34th Assembly District in Queens, for instance, covering Jackson Heights, has been represented for years by Michael DenDekker, a reliable cog in the local machine, yet it broke 59-26 for Cabn. Jessica Gonzlez-Rojas, a longtime activist and the executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, saw what was happening around her. We saw wins like AOC, whos my congresswoman, and Jessica Ramos, who took out an IDC member, which is the Independent Democratic Conference, and then Catalina Cruz, whos my neighboring assemblywoman, who was a former DREAMer, she said. All these inspiring Latinas breaking glass ceilings, and then a lot of my neighbors are like, Is DenDekker still there? Why dont you run against him?

Despite the presence of other progressives in the primary, Gonzlez-Rojas has the consolidated support of New Yorks socialist and progressive organizations.(Ocasio-Cortez has not endorsed in this race, having weighed in only on competitive local primaries outside of her district. I understand that endorsements are complicated, Gonzlez-Rojas said.)

Gonzlez-Rojas is one of a slate of credible progressive challengers taking on state Assembly incumbents in the June 23 primary, running largely on the argument that New Yorks pandemic-and-Trump-administration-produced budget crisis should be resolved by taxing the wealthy rather than austerity. The insurgency is also coming for the top prosecutor in Albany, with a Bernie Sanders-backed challenger taking on a 16-year incumbent. Jabari Brisport, meanwhile, a public school teacher andDemocratic Socialists of America activist, is running for an open Brooklyn state Senate seat against the machine-backed Tremaine Wright; he has the backing of Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, Salazar, Nixon, the Working Families Party, and most of the institutional left. If Brisport follows Salazar to Albany, the citys Senate delegation will have significant DSA representation.

Gonzlez-Rojas is one of a slate of credible progressive challengers taking on state Assembly incumbents in the June 23 primary.

Photo: Courtesy of the Gonzlez-Rojas Campagn.

In addition to Brisport, the NYC DSA is backing Samelys Lpez for the House of Representatives, Zohran Mamdani for Assembly in Queens, and Phara Souffrant Forrest and Marcela Mitaynes for Assembly in Brooklyn. The group nearly doubled its first quarter fundraising goal, raising more than $175,000 to support phone banking, mailers, and other critical resources for the campaigns in its slate of endorsements.

Nixons endorsement by the DSA during her 2018 gubernatorial run was controversial within the organization, but the argument that backing her would help build the groups capacity now appears prescient. She has remained active with the group, and appeared alongside Sanders surrogates Nina Turner, Philip Agnew, and Jaboukie Young-White at a high-profile NYC-DSA fundraiser on May 31. They raised $60,000 that night. The rising insurgency is a sign that the multiracial, class-conscious movement inspired by Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez and led largely by young and working people is alive and well even as politicians and news organizations critical of Sanders have penned its obituary in the wake of his failed presidential bid. When we talk about the political revolution that means building power at every level of government, Sanders tweeted after two socialists won primaries for state legislative office in Philadelphia this month.

The challengers, most running in New York City, have public opinion on their side, according to a new survey by Data For Progress. Four in five voters favor high taxes on those making more than $2 million per year and an additional tax on investment gains made by billionaires. Three-quarters backed a tax on people with multiple homes, and four in five supported a tax on digital advertising platforms like Google and Facebook. Just three in 10 supported cuts to Medicaid.

A broad coalition of progressive groups Make the Road New York, Citizen Action of New York, New York Working Families Party, New York Communities for Change, VOCAL-NY, Community Voices Heard, and the Alliance for Quality Education has rallied behind most of those candidates, while being split on others, and seized on the results of the survey. During this pandemic, he has balanced the state budget on the backs of working-class Black and brown people once, and threatens to do it again, the coalition said in a statement, referring to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. This data show that New Yorkers categorically reject the Governors approach and demand urgent action from him and the legislature.

We keep hearing that the coronavirus has put New York state in debt and put us in a position where cuts are necessary. We progressives, myself included, are saying, wait a second, theres money on the table that were not addressing, Gonzlez-Rojas. Whats exciting about the poll is that theres data there. Its not just hearsay or conversations. Theres real numbers behind it, that we shouldnt be cutting education or health care or housing in a moment where theres money on the table.

Incumbent Aravella Simotas largely votes the Democratic line, but that might not work anymore in this district, where Ocasio-Cortez and Cabn both romped over their opponents in gentrifying Astoria, and voters also backed Nixon, Williams, and Teachout in their 2018 statewide races. Housing activist Zohran Mamdani, whose race is a major priority of DSA, doesnt have the backing of much else of the more established progressive infrastructure, such as the WFP, making it an interesting test of the strength of the DSA and the left absent that institutional support. Simotas, meanwhile, is backed by companies fighting labor protections for gig workers; New Yorkers for Flexible Work, which appears to be a front group for companies like Uber and Lyft, is running ads on Spotify in support of her. Ubers top lobbyist, Patrick Jenkins, donated $1,000 to Simotas last month. Jenkins is a longtime friend and former college roommate of New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. Simotas also received a contribution of $500 from Savas Konstantinides, a city taxi fleet owner under federal investigation into possible lending fraud in the city taxi industry. Mamdanis campaign is focusing on rights for drivers in the district.

Part of this district, gentrifying quickly, is similar to Mamdanis, but part is still traditional Queens neighborhoods, where young people and progressives have made fewer inroads. Incumbent Catherine Nolan, not particularly progressive, is fortunate to have two challengers rather than one Mary Jobaida and Danielle Brecker, who may end up splitting the progressive vote. Local activists say Jabaida, running a shoe-string operation, is giving Nolan the most serious challenge and has the most progressive support, though neither has institutional backing from the coalition backing a broader slate.

Assistant Assembly Speaker Felix Ortiz has served since 1994, and has been tied up in a corruption investigation. Marcela Mitaynes, a housing activist, has the backing of everyone from DSA to WFP and Ocasio-Cortez, whose willingness to endorse against a member of the Assembly leadership raised eyebrows in the city. This is arguably the citys closest-watched Assembly race.

This rapidly gentrifying district in the heart of Brooklyn was once represented by Hakeem Jeffries, now a member of Congress and major power player locally and nationally. Jeffriess friend and successor, Walter Mosley, has the backing of the WFP (he bucked leadership to back WFPs ballot access), but nurse and housing activist Phara Souffrant has the support of DSA and Ocasio-Cortez making this race something of a proxy war between Jeffries and Ocasio-Cortez, two local titans whose congressional staffs have been engaged in high-profile conflict. New Yorkers for Flexible Work, the group running ads against Simotas, is also spending on ads in support of Mosley.

Carmen Aroyyo, the 84-year-old machine incumbent in this South Bronx district, was challenged by 29-year-old Amanda Septimo from the left with the backing of WFP. Arroyo falsified her petition signatures and was disqualified from the ballot, meaning the insurgent will waltz into the seat. Septimo had run a strong race for the seat in 2018, and is an example of the adage that if you want to win, you often have to run twice.

Sam Fein, an Albany County legislator, was recruited by the WFP to take on incumbent John McDonald III. The local SEIU is behind Fein, but there is little progressive infrastructure outside New York City to boost him. This race could help build that, giving local progressives something to organize around.

Adam Bojak, a tenants rights attorney, is running with the backing of DSA national, as well as its Buffalo chapter a test of DSAs strength outside the city. WFP is behind Jon Rivera.

In a handful of other races, the left is working to fend off challenges to progressive incumbents.

Steven Lee, a controversial New York police officer, is challenging Assemblyman Ron Kim, a foe of the local real estate industry who was pivotal in fending off Amazons headquarters. Lee and his campaign chair were recently caught ginning up racist memes to attack Kim.

Lees campaign chair Mike Cheng, in a chatroom run by Lee, shared a cartoon of Kim Jong Un praising Lees politics, and suggested people circulate it, adding, in a remarkable admission, Because we use other fake account but its maxed out and they have spam filters.

That provoked Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who has been broadly hostile to the insurgency, to condemn the assault: Let me be clear racist attacks and cyberbullying have no place in our public discourse, and the attacks that my colleague, Ron Kim, has been experiencing are truly disgusting. Racist dog whistles hidden behind phone accounts are beyond contempt and cowardly. Now more than ever we should be looking to lift each other up. Ron is a true champion for his district and an important voice in our Assembly Democratic Majority. He works hard for his community and I am proud to call him a friend.

Lee, who distanced himself from the fake spam accounts, also falsely suggested he had the support of Rep. Grace Meng.

Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Nious recent floor speech against Cuomos Medicaid cuts became a rallying cry for progressives. A former backer of Elizabeth Warren who later endorsed Sanders, this Manhattan representative now has both senatorssupport as she fends off a challenge from Grace Lee, who has the heavy backing of real estate interests.

Dianna Richardson was elected in 2015 with her name only appearing on the WFP ballot line, and has emerged as a leading progressive voice in the legislature. Jesse Hamilton, a former member of the turncoat Independent Democratic Conference, is challenging her in a primary, with the Brooklyn machine doing nothing to help the incumbent Richardson revealing once again that the machines defense of incumbents is linked to ideology, not incumbency.

Correction: June 20, 2020

This story originally misspelled the name ofJessica Gonzlez-Rojas.

Here is the original post:
Progressives Targeting New York Incumbents in Down-Ballot Races - The Intercept

Ankur Shukla Published 8:45 a.m. PT June 19, 2020

Former Vice President Joe Biden called for justice and accountability in the death of George Floyd, a black man who died shortly after his arrest by four Minneapolis police officers. "George Floyd's life matters," Biden said. (May 27) AP Domestic

Subscribe: Read local news and views with a 99-cent subscription to the RGJ

This opinion column was submitted byAnkur Shukla, a native Nevadan anda veteran of international and U.S. presidential campaigns. Heholds a masters of public policy from Harvard University.

Dear progressives,

I want to reach out to you as a moderate Democrat. I am writing today because I need you. Reports are that many progressives are unenthusiastic about Joe Biden, and perhaps may not vote for him. Perhaps that is you. If so, please allow me to tell you something you already know: The country needs you, your voiceand your vote. I genuinely believe the opportunity for the progressive movement has never been greater.

Since you are a progressive, I do not have to convince you that Donald Trump is bad for the country. Like me, you are terrified for yourself and your loved ones health and safety as the coronavirus ravages through the nation and Trump prioritizes the stock market over the health of citizens. Like me, you were probably horrified when peaceful protestors were dispersed with tear gas and flash grenades, violating their First Amendment rights. Undoubtedly you were once again disappointed when Republicans looked away and even pretended to not have seen the whole thing. You and I have a common disgust for all this.

I have to admit, as a moderate I have not always understood the progressive point of view. I think there are a lot of moderates who need to better understand the progressive perspective and vice versa. However, despite our differences, we are on the same team. We believe that climate change is an existential threat, that health care is a human right, that a college education should be free, that a womans right to choose is sacrosanct, that there is racial injustice in the criminal justice system that must be corrected, to name only a few. We are all concerned about the courts being packed with right-wing judges and what could happen to the Supreme Court if Republicans win the White House and Senate again. We largely have the same goals, but we disagree on how to get thereMedicare for All versus strengthening the Affordable Care Act to get to universal health care, for example.

Opinion: Six ways to make sure Joe Biden wins and Donald Trump loses in the November election

The progressive movement has changed the political debate in this country, and even moderate presidential candidates adopted some progressive policies. The obvious example is Medicare for All and free college, which of millions of voters support, and which several moderate candidates included in their platforms.

I worked for the Pete Buttigieg campaign. One of the policies that drew me in was free college at public colleges and universities for low- and middle-income students a direct contribution from the 2016 Bernie Sanders campaign. Biden would later adopt this policy. The obvious conclusion is that the progressive movement holds great sway in the Democratic Party, and that is where, I would argue, you come in.

Progressives can continue to make an impact. I understand you may not favor Biden, and you may even distrust him. Perhaps you feel he has let you down in the past. I understand that, as a moderate, it is much easier for me to be enthusiastic about Biden. However, I would argue that there is plenty of reason for you to be excited about a Biden presidency, especially if we win both the House and the Senate.

One reason you have to be excited is that Biden has been moving to the left. Even before becoming the presumptive nominee, he adopted signature proposals from Sanders and Warren. Furthermore, Biden has incorporated prominent progressives into his leadership team. Typically, a presumptive nominee moves to the center of the ideological spectrum. Not Biden. So, there is great potential for progressive policies to be incorporated into Bidens agenda. Progressives can shape the Democratic National Committee platform and influence the narrative.

Also, with Biden at the top of the ticket, down-ballot Democrats have a great shot at winning the Senate with the same coalition that won the House in 2018. Progressive proposals could become law. And unlike in the past, progressives have a large, powerful caucus in the House, which will undoubtedly hold even a moderate Democratic president to account. There have even been rumblings out of the campaign that Biden wants more of an FDR-style presidency to heal the country after so much tumult, as opposed to his original incrementalism. You have an opening.

Ankur Shukla(Photo: Provided by Ankur Shukla)

What is more certain is that if Trump and Republicans win again, there will certainly be no advance in progressive policies. The country will most certainly continue to move backwards on the environment, health care, education, race relationsand so on.

There is only one choice right now:A possibility of advancing progressive goals with Biden, and with Democrats controlling both houses of Congress, or continued degradation of our country.

Have your say: How to submit an opinion column or letter to the editor

Read or Share this story: https://www.rgj.com/story/opinion/voices/2020/06/19/progressives-win-biden-shukla/3221951001/

Excerpt from:
Progressives will win with Biden | Shukla - Reno Gazette Journal

Imagine this: its the day after the presidential election, and Donald Trump is officially on his way out. The era of toddler imprisonment, pandemic denial, regulatory rollbacks and constitution shredding is over. And under new leadership from a Democrat in the White House, we can finally focus on making sure every American has access to healthcare, quality education, stable housing and a livable planet. Right? Wrong.

I hope Trump and the Republicans get voted out of Washington this November, but heres the sobering truth: our presumptive Democratic presidential candidate has told us in no uncertain terms that hes not interested in changing the status quo. While I love and respect our progressive allies in Congress, and I hope to see their numbers grow in November, we simply cant wait for the rest of Washington to wake up and adopt a progressive agenda. But we can win real progress over the next four years, by fighting at the state level to do what Washington wont. Thats where New York comes in.

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, and Ive seen New York politics change a lot in that time, but nothing compares to the last few years. The 2016 presidential election was a wake-up call for Democrats, and New York progressives leapt to their feet and got to work. We showed up at the polls for progressives and broke the Republican stranglehold on the New York state legislature, and finally put an end to the ridiculous Independent Democratic Conference. We embarrassed the centrist establishment and gave hope to the entire country when we elected Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to the US House of Representatives. In just four years, we have chipped away at the complacent, corporate-funded, pseudo-progressive Democratic establishment thats never prioritized working-class people and we have forced them to listen to what working-class people need. The resurgent, grassroots socialist movement we have built is fast becoming a beacon of humanity in an inhumane, capitalist country whose establishment politicians yes, including Democrats resist real change at every turn.

We simply cant wait for the rest of Washington to wake up and adopt a progressive agenda

This nation is crying out for progressive leadership, and New York is poised to deliver it. Even with lackluster leaders such as Andrew Cuomo and Bill de Blasio in our executive branches, New Yorkers are hungry for serious change. Amid an unprecedented global pandemic thats led to record unemployment and housing instability, New Yorkers are putting their hard-earned dollars, time and energy behind progressive movements.

The nation is not going to get universal healthcare under Joe Biden. Yet last year, in New York, we were just one vote shy of passing a bill to give every New Yorker access to healthcare. With just a few more true progressives in Albany, we can finally pass the New York Health Act and guarantee free healthcare to every single one of the nearly 20 million people who call New York home.

We can also become the first state to fully fund the infrastructure that will protect us from climate change, and we can power every home and business from Staten Island to Champlain with clean, renewable energy. We can reclaim our power grid from greedy corporations and distribute that energy via a public utility. We can remind the rest of the United States what happens when everyone has the right to a free, quality education from preschool to college. We can defund the nations largest police department and reinvest in our communities, modeling an approach to public safety that doesnt rely on guns and mass incarceration. And we can decide that the ultra-wealthy no longer profit from our state without paying their fair share of taxes.

In a lot of this country, even Democrats would call these policies pipe dreams. Lets prove them wrong. In New York, they can become reality, because were not going to settle for the status quo. The need for these changes has never been more urgent, and no one is in a better position to implement them than the progressive wing of the New York Democratic party. New York has the chance to serve as a blueprint for how the nation moves forward, even without progressive leadership in Washington. Were not willing to wait, so well have to lead the way.

Follow this link:
Could New York become a progressive beacon in the United States? - The Guardian

The TAKE with Rick Klein

The fights that would have been never really went away.

Former Vice President Joe Biden was largely spared of can-he-heal-the-party anxieties due to the unusual timing of him wrapping up the nomination in the midst of a pandemic, followed by this national reckoning over race and policing tactics.

But progressive concerns about the direction of the Democratic Party are emerging. They are dominating down-ballot primaries coming up in states including Kentucky, Colorado and New York; one House race there even has Sen. Elizabeth Warren endorsing a challenger, and Hillary Clinton among those sticking with the incumbent.

The latest lobbying push for Warren to join Biden's ticket is predicated on the calculation that the former vice president needs to tack left to unite his party. Then there's the range of progressive groups -- black and Latino groups, along with organizations associated with Sen. Bernie Sanders' former campaign -- warning that Biden's police-reform proposals are insufficient for the moment.

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a roundtable on economic reopening with community members in Philadelphia, June 11, 2020.

"You cannot win the election without the enthusiastic support of Black voters, and how you act in this moment of crisis will play a big role in determining how Black voters -- and all voters concerned with racial justice -- respond to your candidacy," the coalition of some 50 organizations wrote to Biden.

Biden has resisted getting drawn into a debate over "defund the police," and has also hesitated on supporting reparations for black Americans. His proposed police reforms would go significantly farther than anything espoused by President Donald Trump, and Biden's campaign responded to his executive order Tuesday by saying "the burden is on President Trump and congressional Republicans to act."

Biden has had more flexibility than most recent Democratic nominees to put forward his vision of the party, after he secured the nomination with more party unity than was widely expected.

But part of his burden from here is to recognize the passions of the moment and the movements inspired to act. Some of the loudest voices are being directed at Trump, though efforts to get Biden's attention could matter more in November.

The RUNDOWN with MaryAlice Parks

Nearly three weeks after the death of George Floyd, Trump on Tuesday met with American families who have also had loved ones killed by police officers.

In signing his executive order, he made it clear that there is overwhelming support for some policing reforms, such as the banning of chokeholds in most incidences.

In this June 1, 2020, file photo, President Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington.

Of course, the president's actions this week will continue to be met with skepticism by those who have been deeply hurt and sidelined by his words in the past. At campaign rallies, the president used to joke about letting police be brutal with and mistreat protesters. Just a few weeks ago, in a tweet, he seemed to encourage police to misuse their authority and use lethal force against looters.

Ahmaud Arbery's mother described Trump as "compassionate," and said that while she does not believe his executive order is enough, it's a start.

The president offered preliminary support for the bill that Republican senators have been drafting and intend to unveil Wednesday morning, but the country is struggling with some deja vu. In the past, after crises, Trump has said he will back legislation -- on gun control, health care and immigration -- only to pivot and pull his support, even from Republican bills, at the last minute.

Trump called for unity in the Rose Garden Tuesday, but then went on to criticize President Barack Obama.

The fact is, this is a president who has repeatedly used racist language himself, and so healing and new trust after that will take time and Democrats will have to decide if passing any reforms with members across the aisle is better than passing none.

The TIP with Molly Nagle and John Verhovek

Biden is headed to the Philadelphia suburbs -- his third trip to the key swing state of Pennsylvania in recent weeks -- to deliver remarks and meet with small business owners on the challenge of getting back to work as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.

Biden's campaign, which has inched back onto the physical campaign trail throughout June, has sought to highlight the former vice president's plan to "reopen" the country safely as concerns over the virus continue, hoping to draw a contrast with Trump.

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event devoted to the reopening of the U.S. economy during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Philadelphia, June 11, 2020.

"Vice President Biden will discuss how President Trump has no plan besides hanging an 'open for business' sign to get Americans back to work, restore consumer confidence and re-open the economy," a Biden campaign aide said of his remarks.

But while the candidate has thus far been able to stay close to home in a critical battleground state amid the pandemic, excursions to some electorally critical states are butting up against a stark reality.

On Tuesday, the battleground state of Florida reported a record high one-day increase of COVID-19 cases, and the mayor of Miami put the city's reopening plan on hold. Meanwhile Arizona and Texas, two states Biden has insisted he can and will compete in this cycle, set new state records for coronavirus hospitalizations just this week.

BRINGING AMERICA BACK

Lockdown orders have limited in-person efforts to connect with potential voters. So those running for state and local races are relying on digital tools like Zoom calls and social media instead. Read this story and more by checking out Bringing America Back, an ABC News feature that highlights the day's top stories in economic recovery and medical preparedness amid the coronavirus pandemic.

THE PLAYLIST

ABC News' "Start Here" podcast. Wednesday morning's episode features ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers who tells us what's in President Donald Trump's new executive order on policing and previews what the Senate Republicans could announce Wednesday. ABC News Transportation correspondent Gio Benitez explains how airlines are planning to ensure that passengers wear masks on flights. And, ABC News' Alex Stone tells us about the first company to plead guilty in connection with wildfire deaths. http://apple.co/2HPocUL

FiveThirtyEight Politics Podcast. Support for the Black Lives Matter movement has increased dramatically over the past few weeks. In this installment of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, the team looks at whether public opinion on police and racism has moved in tandem. They also discuss the request from President Trump's re-election campaign that CNN retract and apologize for a poll showing him trailing former Vice President Joe Biden and ask whether the partisan positions on social distancing have broken down. https://53eig.ht/2N3pH1r

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY

Download the ABC News app and select "The Note" as an item of interest to receive the day's sharpest political analysis.

The Note is a daily ABC News feature that highlights the key political moments of the day ahead. Please check back tomorrow for the latest.

Read the original here:
The Note: Progressives put Biden on warning -- again - ABC News

After helping Democrats win control of New York States government two years ago, progressives envisioned 2020 as the year to expand their foothold in the State Capitol in Albany.

They would use a proven playbook: Progressive groups would recruit liberal-minded newcomers to challenge entrenched Democratic state legislators whom they regarded as too moderate, and who had run unopposed for years.

But just as they were getting their grass-roots campaigns off the ground, the coronavirus descended on New York, dampening efforts to push the State Legislature leftward in the June 23 primary elections.

Because of the virus, in-person campaigning abruptly ground to a halt, stripping progressive challengers of the organizing tactics essential to counter the advantages of incumbency.

I really counted on grass-roots, door-to-door engagement, and thats been disrupted, said Jessica Gonzlez-Rojas, an insurgent candidate vying to topple Assemblyman Michael G. DenDekker, a six-term Democrat from northwestern Queens. And given the reality in our district, and how hard we were hit with the coronavirus, Im not sure peoples head space is on an election right now.

With about 30 Democratic lawmakers facing primary challenges next week, some more serious than others, left-wing groups from the Working Families Party (W.F.P.) to the Democratic Socialists of America (D.S.A.) have focused most of their efforts on a slate of seats in the State Assembly they deem ripe for the taking.

Some of the most viable challenges have unfolded in parts of Brooklyn and Queens that felt the brunt of the pandemic, and where gentrification and demographic shifts have helped fuel notable insurgent candidacies before, like those of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Tiffany Cabn, who narrowly lost the Queens district attorney primary last year.

The recent weeks of protests against police brutality have added a new dynamic to the elections; many insurgents are hoping to transform the civil unrest into support from voters upset with the status quo. Lawmakers have quickly altered their campaigns to include references to their records on criminal justice, while challengers are calling out incumbents who have received campaign contributions from police unions.

The pandemic is expected to depress in-person turnout at polling sites on Tuesday: More than 625,600 voters in New York City have requested ballots to vote by mail, giving well-run campaigns the opportunity to specifically target that pool of voters.

That should benefit incumbents, but it is not a clear-cut advantage: In Pennsylvania, insurgents defeated six Democratic state legislators in the June 2 primary.

But successful insurgent campaigns, like those that helped Democrats regain full control of the State Senate in 2018, have tended to rely on a robust ground game of volunteers and canvassers, impossible to replicate in the era of social distancing.

In early March, candidates were in the throes of collecting signatures to get on the ballot when they were suddenly forced to recall volunteers from the field.

The new reality vexed challengers like Ms. Gonzlez-Rojas, 44, whose bid as a Latina community organizer to unseat a longtime white and male incumbent in an increasingly diverse part of Queens has drawn comparisons to Ms. Ocasio-Cortezs candidacy. She even has her own three-letter nickname, J.G.R.

With handshaking and in-person fund-raisers no longer options, Ms. Gonzalez-Rojas and other insurgents were forced to repurpose their campaigns. Virtual town halls and fund-raisers were held over Zoom. They shifted to digital media and set up phone-bank operations.

Its about reminding people that there is a very safe way to vote this year, Ms. Gonzlez-Rojas said, referring to the states expansion of absentee ballot voting. I really want to bring in voters who feel apathetic. This is a community that is 60 percent Latinx and weve never had anyone that understands the Latinx experience.

In a statement, Mr. DenDekker singled out his support for the so-called green light law passed last year, which allows undocumented people to apply for drivers licenses. I am proud of my record of standing up for my immigrant neighbors and people of color, he said.

Three other candidates are on the ballot against Mr. DenDekker, increasing the chances of a fractured vote that will presumably benefit the incumbent. But Ms. Gonzlez-Rojas, who received the W.F.P. endorsement, has raised over $150,000, more than the three other challengers, and not far behind Mr. DenDekkers $195,000 haul.

Still, there are limits to connecting with potential voters through digital means: Poorer and marginalized communities may be harder to reach. And it can often be more expensive than relying on an army of volunteers to knock on doors.

Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist taking on Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas in Astoria, facing her first primary challenge since she assumed office in 2011, said his campaign has had to pay 5 cents for every phone call and $1 per click for Facebook ads.

You plan for the world that you have seen, and then youre given an entirely different one, said Mr. Mamdani, a foreclosure-prevention housing counselor from Uganda, noting a $12,000 investment on a campaign office he has barely used because of the pandemic. Im proud of how weve adapted, but the only way you can now contact voters, it comes with costs.

Mr. Mamdani was among the first legislative challengers in New York to use the growing anti-police sentiment as a cudgel against his opponent: A day after his campaign highlighted thousands of dollars that Ms. Simotas had received in contributions from police-affiliated groups, she said she would donate the money to charity. Ms. Simotas, however, said that she had made the decision after learning that police had pepper-sprayed two fellow lawmakers.

Ms. Simotas previously ran on the W.F.P. line, but the party did not make an endorsement in the race this year. She has spent more than $250,000 so far, more than her opponent, and said that her campaign has made over 182,000 phone calls to voters. But Mr. Mamdani has received 3,670 more individual contributions in the past eight months than she has in 10 years, according to his campaign.

Though she is being challenged by a democratic socialist, Ms. Simotas has a progressive record around issues of sexual violence, health care and criminal justice, and a platform that in many ways is not that different from Mr. Mamdanis.

Ive worked incredibly hard in Albany to pass progressive legislation that actually makes a difference in peoples lives, Ms. Simotas said.

Senator Julia Salazar, a progressive lawmaker who took office in 2018, has endorsed Mr. Mamdani and two other challengers. But most of her colleagues in Albany have avoided endorsing like-minded progressives taking on establishment legislators.

There are other races that do not fit the perfect mold of left-wing insurgent versus moderate incumbent, exposing rifts within the progressive movement.

Updated June 16, 2020

The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.

The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who dont typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the countrys largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.

So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was very rare, but she later walked back that statement.

Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus whether its surface transmission or close human contact is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.

A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.

The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nations job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.

Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission.

States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you arent being told to stay at home, its still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people.

Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.

If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)

The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people dont need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks dont replace hand washing and social distancing.

If youve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.

In Brooklyns 57th District, Assemblyman Walter T. Mosley was backed by the W.F.P., but is being challenged by Phara Souffrant Forrest, a nurse and tenant activist who has received endorsements from Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Salazar and the D.S.A.

Another W.F.P.-backed incumbent facing a primary challenge is Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol, 77, who has represented a section of northern Brooklyn that includes Greenpoint and Williamsburg since 1973.

Keeping the same person in office for that long is just to keep certain groups comfortable and veer away from dialogue and talking about power, said his challenger, Emily Gallagher, a self-proclaimed socialist who was endorsed by Cynthia Nixon and Zephyr Teachout, former candidates for governor.

Mr. Lentol has spent $342,000 on the race, more than any other member of the Assembly facing a primary. A good politician should run scared, said Mr. Lentol, whose father and grandfather were also assemblymen.

His constituents have been flooded with campaign mailers that tout his support of criminal justice reforms and emphasize that he is a progressive Democrat. An independent expenditure committee, New Yorkers for Independent Work, backed by gig companies like Lyft, has also spent money on mailers to get Mr. Lentol re-elected, as the companies push back on proposals in Albany that would expand employment benefits to gig workers.

When the outbreak began in New York, many incumbents stopped campaigning and relied on the power of their office to help constituents and potential voters affected by the virus.

But many upstart candidates also changed tack: They transformed their campaign structures into so-called mutual aid networks, a community-organizing tool harnessed to help neighbors hit by the virus with medication, grocery runs and social services.

I knew thered be a massive amount of demand and assistance needed, said Katherine Walsh, an urban planner running against Assemblyman Flix W. Ortiz, a 25-year incumbent in Brooklyn. Our calls to our neighbors became check-in calls.

Ms. Walsh said the pandemic dampened her fund-raising efforts, but she still managed to raise over $115,000, more than Mr. Ortiz, who she noted had not received a single donation from people in his district, which includes Sunset Park.

Mr. Ortiz said he didnt ask for contributions from people in his community because they were suffering through the pandemic. Instead, he said, he has focused his efforts on helping hospitals procure ventilators and constituents receive unemployment benefits.

My contributions come from friends that dont have business with the state and the city, said Mr. Ortiz, the assistant speaker of the Assembly. I have a lot of friends. I call them and they help me out. I never pay attention to what other people are saying. I just tell people to look at my record.

Last year, the F.B.I. arrested Mr. Ortizs chief of staff, who was accused of stealing $80,000 in cash from a campaign account. The arrest opened Mr. Ortiz to criticism, and to two other primary challengers, Genesis Aquino and Marcela Mitaynes, a housing activist who has racked up endorsements from the D.S.A., the W.F.P. and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez.

Mr. Ortiz and Ms. Walsh have raised more money than Ms. Mitaynes, but she leads the field in small-dollar donors.

I refuse all money from real estate developers, corporations and police unions, Ms. Mitaynes, who is originally from Peru, said in a statement. I am a tenant organizer and former undocumented immigrant who is running for Assembly to be a voice for working class people in Albany.

See the article here:
Will the Pandemic Slow New Yorks Progressive Momentum? - The New York Times