Manhattan elected officials are starting to pick their BP candidates

Endorsements are starting to fly in the competitive race for Manhattan borough president. Two representatives for Lower Manhattan – State Sen. Brian Kavanagh and Assembly Member Grace Lee – are throwing their support behind state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal for Manhattan borough president. Term-limited Council Member Keith Powers, meanwhile, announced an endorsement from his City Council colleague in East Harlem, Council Member Diana Ayala.

The endorsements mark the first major elected officials to weigh in on the race. (Powers was earlier endorsed by more than 20 more local leaders on the east side, including district leaders and state committee members.) The two candidates are running with existing bases in distinct part of the borough – Hoylman-Sigal on the West Side and Powers on the East Side. 

In statements supporting Hoylman-Sigal, both Lee and Kavanagh pointed to their experience working directly with the senator in the state Legislature, including on work fighting hate crimes and on tenant protections.

Powers has been fundraising since August and has an early lead – thanks in part to more than $300,000 in public matching funds awarded already. Hoylman-Sigal didn’t jump into the race until later, but has raised roughly $126,000 since early December – more than the $104,000 that Powers brought in over the past three months.