Inez Dickens Mulls Challenge To Harlem Councilmember Richardson Jordan

HARLEM, NY — Next year's City Council race in Central Harlem could be another doozy, as longtime lawmaker Inez Dickens confirmed she is considering challenging incumbent Kristin Richardson Jordan — and another former candidate also mulls a run.

Dickens, the State Assemblymember whose potential bid was first reported by the New York Post, confirmed to Patch on Tuesday that she was "seriously considering" running for the District 9 Council seat, which she previously held from 2006 to 2016.

"Several hundred people have come and asked me to run," said Dickens, 73. "People are using this as a rallying thing for taking Harlem back."

The Democratic primary matchup would pit 35-year-old Richardson Jordan, a democratic socialist who has called for one day abolishing the city's police department, against the more moderate Dickens, who has argued for increasing police funding.

Dickens also suggested Richardson Jordan had done a poor job securing city funding for her district in the recent budget, though she did not point to specific examples. Speaking to the Post, Dickens also criticized Richardson Jordan's opposition to the One45 rezoning, which helped tank the project, saying she would have negotiated for a better deal instead.

Reached for comment, Richardson Jordan turned the tables on Dickens, arguing that the Assemblymember had failed to address Harlem's biggest issues during her more than 15 years in government.

"During that time, our black and working-class communities faced mass displacement," Richardson Jordan said in a statement. "Those who remained have struggled to access affordable housing, quality education, decent healthcare, as well as safe streets. The old way of doing things hasn't worked."

She also defended her record in the Council, saying her office has "centered the community in every aspect of our work" and pointing to anti-gun violence initiatives and a packed slate of local events.

"We look forward to continuing to put forth a new vision to persevere Harlem and letting the people decide who best represents their interests in next year's election," Richardson Jordan said.

Richardson Jordan was elected by just 114 votes over incumbent Bill Perkins in last year's crowded Democratic primary. Instead of the typical four-year term, Richardson Jordan and her Council colleagues are forced to run again in 2023 due to a city charter rule that mandates shorter, two-year terms after Council districts are redrawn.

Meanwhile, Joshua Clennon, who finished eighth in last year's District 9 primary, told Patch on Tuesday that he was also "strongly considering" another run next year.

"Regardless of whomever runs, we can all agree a change is needed," Clennon said in a statement. "We can't continue to allow our community to be divided by political ideologies, age, gender, or personal agendas while we steadily lose ground on housing, public safety, and education with no clear paths forward."

Dickens has served in the Assembly since 2017, most recently fending off primary challenger Delsenia Glover in June. Last year, Dickens emerged as a vocal defender of embattled Gov. Andrew Cuomo, questioning the motives of the women who accused him of sexual harassment.

She told Patch that she would be reluctant to leave Albany, citing her "excellent relationship" with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

"I have a loyalty to the district that voted me just in June for re-election," she said.

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