Queens Borough President Donovan Richards is throwing his weight behind Antonio Reynoso in the race to replace Rep. Nydia Velázquez on Friday, the Daily News has learned.
Reynoso, currently the Brooklyn borough president, is matched up against Claire Valdez, an assemblymember and Democratic Socialists of America member, in race for the 7th Congressional District. which includes some of the most left-leaning neighborhoods in North Brooklyn and Queens.
The primary has made a growing schism between progressives and democratic socialists in New York City apparent.
The candidates share stances against the Trump administration, ICE and Israel’s actions in Gaza, and they both have labor backgrounds.
“From one Borough President to another, Antonio is the man for the job,” Richards, who stands as a more moderate Democrat, said in a statement. “His work in the City Council and as Brooklyn BP proves he knows how to stand up to power in the name of supporting working people, even when it isn’t politically convenient.”
Velázquez, who announced her retirement late last year, counts Reynoso as a protege. She endorsed him earlier in January, citing his upbringing in South Williamsburg and grounding “in lived experience.” The candidate’s also collected the endorsement of other progressives including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and City Council Members Sandy Nurse and Lincoln Restler,.
“It is an honor to have his endorsement as we fight to wrestle power from the billionaires and oligarchs and ensure that our government is for the people, by the people,” Reynoso said of the endorsement.
Valdez, for her part, has netted the support of Mayor Mamdani and the DSA. Her campaign has highlighted her work as a union organizer and shares some staff with Mamdani’s mayoral campaign.
In response to the news of Richards’ endorsement of her rival, Ravi Sahai, Valdez’s campaign manager, emphasized the importance of ground outreach and said about 150 volunteers were slated to canvas for Valdez’s field launch on Saturday.
“Like the Mayor’s victory in last year’s primary, this race will be won on the door,” Ravi Sahai said.
