Flatbush Councilman Will Run For Lieutenant Governor

FLATBUSH, BROOKLYN — City Councilman Jumaane Williams will run for lieutenant governor, the Flatbush representative announced Friday.

Williams, the Democrat who represents the 45th Council District, held a press conference outside City Hall Friday morning to officially declare his candidacy for lieutenant governor one month after he hinted he would run.

“We need someone who operates from a progressive core,” the former community organizer said in his speech, which was live-tweeted.

“Immigrants, women, people of more color, LGBT and TGNC individuals, our Muslim brothers and sisters, are under threat in all of New York. We cannot wait until helping them is politically popular.”

Williams, currently in his third City Council term, told the crowd gathered outside City Hall that he would support strengthening protections for immigrants, the public schools system and gun control.

Flatbush’s city councilman also referenced his recent arrest during a protest against immigration officials who detained activist Ravi Ragbir in January.

“Many people call me too much of an activist,” Williams said. “To them I say, ‘Thank you.’ We need activism to push back on what Trump and his allies would inflict.”

Williams first announced he would consider the campaign at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day service in Brooklyn and in a Twitter post that quoted Dr. King.

Should Williams win his campaign, he will become president of the state Senate, succeed should the next governor leave office, and gain control of the lieutenant governor’s office $630,000 annual budget.

The city councilman will likely face off in a primary, slated for Sept. 11., against Gov. Cuomo’s current lieutenant governor Kathy Hochul.

“I've never backed down from a fight,” said Williams. “I embrace the words of Marcus Garvey - ‘Look for the whirlwind, I'll be there.’”

Patch editor Noah Manskar contributed to this report.

Photo courtesy of Jumaane Williams/Twitter